From: WEWoodsMPH@aol.com
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 19:14:11 EST
Subject: Hawaii Hate Crimes Bill passes Senate unanimously - 3-10-99

Aloha Folks,        3-10-99

	Please distribute to those who would benefit from info.

Our Hate Crimes bill SB605 SD1 passed the Senate today - unanimously - 25-0

Mahalo and congratulations for all who helped create it and support its
transformation  to this very good measure to help us deal with hate bias
crime.

Many discussions are still going on as to why not make it more broad - more
restrictive - deal with concept of disparate treatment - and other issues.
Most of the discussions are now dealing with balancing the various issues we
all support and getting better, better or best end result. 

I think that we have a very good vehicle to get effective legislation
supporting civil right to legal recourse for damages, sentencing enhancement -
giving judges more information related to the health and safety of putting a
criminal back on to street, and sound mechanism to begin the process to
collect more objective data as to the magnitude of hate crimes in Hawaii.

We had a lengthy discussion on a couple of issues at last Hate Crimes Task
Force which is compelling us to meet and to bring together several sides of
the bill's support to see if we can move forward together while making the
assurances necessary to deal with real concerns.

Your comments and ideas welcome.  
\
Next stop - House Judicary (assuming it goes to specific (usual) issue
committee.

Again mahalo and congratulations on our first successes - passage from Senate
Judicary, Senate Ways and Means and now full - unanimous - Senate.

doing good,

Bill Woods
Hate Crimes Task Force Facilitator
537-2000