Text of AZ SM 1002 (2008)

REFERENCE TITLE: Matthew Shepard act; urge adoption. State of Arizona Senate Forty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session 2008 SM 1002 Introduced by Senators Aboud, Miranda: Aguirre, Arzberger, Hale, Rios, Soltero; Representative Sinema A MEMORIAL Urging the United States Congress to enact the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate crimes prevention act. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE) To the Congress and President of the United States of America: Your memorialist respectfully represents: Whereas, perpetrators of hate crimes select individuals because of who they are, devastating the lives of the victims and their families, and terrorizing entire communities; and Whereas, a 2006 Harris interactive poll found that 64% of gays and lesbians are concerned about being a victim of bias-motivated crime; and Whereas, it is commonly known that hate crimes remain underreported and undocumented for a variety of reasons; and Whereas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) does not currently collect data on hate crimes based on gender identity, despite the fact that gender variant communities face some of the most horrific hate violence; and Whereas, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, gathering data from only 12 regions in the country, documented 1,834 victims of anti‑gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender violence in 2006, 11 of whom were murdered; and Whereas, 1,195 of the 7,722 hate crimes reported to the FBI in 2006 were based on sexual orientation, reflecting statistics gathered by 2,105 law enforcement agencies throughout the country; and Whereas, 18% of the hate crimes in Arizona reported to the FBI in 2006 were based on sexual orientation; and Whereas, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would extend federal hate crimes statutes to cover violent and attempted violent crimes based on a person's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability; and Whereas, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would authorize the Department of Justice to assist state and local governments in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes and to assume jurisdiction over a hate crime if a state or locality requests it, if a state or locality is unable or unwilling to pursue the case or if the outcome of the case does not satisfy federal interest in eradicating hate crimes; and Whereas, enacting the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies in Arizona to prosecute violent bias-motivated crimes; and Whereas, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act has received broad bipartisan support. Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, prays: 1. That the Congress and the President of the United States adopt the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1592 and S.1105) to enhance the ability of local law enforcement to prosecute crimes motivated by bias. 2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.