Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 16:09:23 -0500 From: Steve Labinski (by way of Kevin Ivers) Subject: LCR/TX PUSHES STATE BILL ON HATE CRIMES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Steve Labinski Phone: 512-482-8064 March 14, 1999 Log Cabin/Texas Urges GOP Support of James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act AUSTIN, TX -- The Log Cabin Republicans of Texas urged GOP lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives to support the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act, a comprehensive approach to punishing and preventing hate crimes. The bill successfully passed out of the Judicial Affairs Committee on Thursday on a 6-2 vote. Under House rules, after a favorable recommendation from committee, the bill goes to the Calendars committee to be scheduled for a vote by the full House. LCR/Texas President Steve Labinski said, "Texas clearly has a significant problem with crimes motivated by prejudice. These crimes shock the conscience of everyone. Our state has a long tradition of enhancing the penalties of crimes designated as particularly heinous. Hate crimes should be no exception." HB 938 has almost 50 co-sponsors, including Republican members of the House GOP leadership. The bill also provides for civil remedies and allows for protective orders to keep perpetrators of hate crimes off specified property. Property crimes are documented as the most frequent kind of hate crime. The Texas Family Association, a religious conservative organization with strong ties to the Texas GOP and the Texas GOP platform testified on Thursday that they would support the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Bill if sexual orientation was removed from the bill. Sen. Drew Nixon (R, Carthage) and Rep. Wayne Christian (R, Center), whose districts include Jasper, Texas, have been reported in the Austin media as supporting the bill only if sexual orientation is removed. LCR/Texas President Labinski responded, "18% of all documented hate crimes are committed against gays and lesbians. To single-out a group one personally dislikes from legislation that protects people from hate crimes is disingenuous. Frankly, that individual completely misses the point of the purpose or need of hate crimes legislation." Recently-passed Texas laws enhance the penalties on crimes committed against children, in instances of stalking and certain capital offences. "We need a hate crime law to prevent hate criminals from becoming hate murderers," said Labinski. The Log Cabin Republican of Texas has chapters in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, and is part of a nation-wide federation of grassroots organizations. ____________ (OPEN LETTER TO GOP STATE HOUSE MEMBERS) March 14, 1999 Dear Republican House Member: HB 938, the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Bill, recently passed out of the House Judicial Affairs Committee, and will soon make it to the floor for a vote. Please support the bill as passed out of committee. I would like to address the following concerns regarding this legislation: 1. HB 938 carves no special privileges for any group. All individuals equally share the traits indentified in the bill. For example, every individual is a member of a race. Every individual has a sexual orientation. So, the bill protects any person who falls victim to a crime motivated by prejudice on these universal categories. 2. HB 938 meets constitutional tests. The bill is drafted to track the language of the Wisconsin hate-crimes law that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld as constitutional. Furthermore, the bill meets the tests of equal protection in the Texas Constitution. The protected categories specified in the bill are universal traits held by everyone. We are all a member of a race. We all possess a sexual orientation. The bill does not exclude anyone, nor does it provide any single group any 'special rights' 3. HB 938 does not condone any particular lifestyle. We have laws at the state and federal level that prohibit discrimination against religion. This does not constitute an endorsement of any particular denomination. Consequently, laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation does not constitute an endorsement. It simply says that discrimination is wrong -- something we all can agree on. Please oppose any amendment to remove the sexual orientation category from the bill. Under statistics collected by the federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990, gays and lesbians are the second-largest target of hate crimes in Texas, that is 18% of hate crimes. As Republicans, we take a strong attitude against crime. Help enact tough penalties against perpetrators of hate crimes by supporting the committee substitute to HB 938 without amendments. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 512-467-9797. Thank You, Steve Labinski President ############################