Date:         Mon, 20 Mar 1995 08:47:14 -0500
Reply-To: summers@RT66.COM

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Hate Crimes Legislation passes in New Mexico

By Bob Summersgill, for The Weekly Rainbow

Santa Fe, NM - With only one day before the end of the legislative session,
the New Mexico House followed the Senate in passing the Hate Crimes Act, SB
615.

The bill allows judges to increase penalties for crimes committed on the bais
of the victim's race, religion, color, national origin, ancestory, sexual
orientation, gender or disability.

The House voted 50-13 to support the "tough-on-crime" legislation which was
supported by the State's Attorney General, Tom Udall, as well as District
Attorneys in the state's largest cities.

The bill now goes to Govenor Johnson, who has suggested that he may not sign
the bill.

The wide ranging coalition supporting the bill includes the Catholic Church,
the Anti-Defamation League, the Japanese-American Association, the NAACP,
ACLU, the Lutheran Church, The University of New Mexico, the Green Party, and
the Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Mexico.

The discretionary enhancement for a felony would be one year for the first
conviction and three years for the subsequent conviction. For misdemeanors,
the enhancement would be 90 days for the first conviction and 180 days for
the subsequent conviction. Petty misdemeanors, such as simple assaults, would
be 30 days for the first conviction and 60 days for the subsquent conviction.

Thirty four states, DC and the federal government have penalty enhancement
hate crimes laws, eleven states, DC, and the federal government include
attacks based on sexual orientation.

-End-

This article may be reproduced and distributed if the by-line is
included, and a tear sheet, in the case of publication is sent to:
The Weekly Rainbow
P.O. Box 4769
Albuquerque, NM  87196