Subject: Hate Crimes Amendments bill defeated
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 14:46:02 EST

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release

February 4, 1999

Contact: David Nelson
 David Nelson Communications(TM)
 Post Office Box 112095
 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-2095
 (801)461-5036
 Facsimile modem available
 Internet: [email-masked]

Tear sheet requested

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HATE CRIMES AMENDMENTS BILL DEFEATED

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Hate Crimes Amendments bill (1SSB34) was defeated on
Feb. 4  by a vote of 4 to 2 in a meeting of the state Senate Standing
Committee on Judiciary at the state Capitol Building.

The bill would have amended the state hate-crimes penalties and statistics
laws by expanding the protected categories and redefining a hate crime. State
Sen. Pete Suazo, D-Salt Lake City, and various minority leaders said that the
laws needed to be updated to reflect the relevant laws and court rulings of
other states, and make the Utah penalties law enforceable. He said that it
hasn't been used by state courts because many judges and prosecutors believe
it's too vague.

Opponents of the bill included leaders of Utah Eagle Forum, Utah Concerned
Women of America and America Forever, and said that the bill would have given
"special rights" to members of the protected categories, specifically the
"sexual orientation" category.

Utah Democratic Gay and Lesbian Caucus Chair David G. Thometz said the bill
would have provided additional protection, not special rights, to hate-crimes
victims.

"Rape is a crime of intimidation and terror that is not adequately addressed
by simple assault, battery, molestation or forced-sex laws," Thometz said.
"Does this law give anyone 'special rights'? Of course not. Similarly, hate
crimes are crimes against entire classes of people."

Gay state Democratic leader David Nelson helped write the bill and called the
committee vote a partisan move to please some right-wing Republicans.

"It's obvious that the committee members voted along party lines," Nelson
said. "The Republican senators' vote to defeat this bill - without offering
any amendment to make it more acceptable - will let more hate criminals out on
the streets, and sends the message that hate is welcome in Utah."

Bill proponents included advocates for disabled and gay and lesbian people,
ethnic, racial and religious minorities, and women