,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #djfe ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #ab1 #bjag,ms4 ,velzquez 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,serrano1 ,mr4 ,takano1 and ,ms4 ,schakowsky7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh to establish grants to reduce the incidence of hate crimes1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,hate ,crime ,victim ,assistance ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,hate crimes have been on the rise over the previous years across the ,united ,states4 ,in #bjae1 according to the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation 7,,fbi71 #ef4i percent of single-bias incidents were motivated by either race1 ethnicity or ancestry bias4 7#b7 ,the same report mentions that #ba4d percent were prompted by religious bias2 #ah4a percent sexual orientation bias2 #b4j percent gender-identity bias2 and #a4c percent disability bias4 7#c7 ,out of the #ef4i percent of the single-bias incidents that were motivated by race reported to the ,,fbi in #bjae1 #i4d percent of these were classified as anti-,hispanic or ,latino1 and #c4c percent of these single bias incidents had an anti-,asian bias4 7#d7 ,previous data from the ,,fbi suggest that hate crimes against ,african ,americans have seen a dramatic increase over the years4 ,such trends can be traced back to #bjjc1 when hate crimes against ,african ,americans were twice as much as all other race groups combined4 7#e7 ,a #bjae study conducted by the ,los ,angeles ,county ,commission on ,human ,relations notes that half of the hate crimes in ,los ,angeles ,county were racially motivated--#eh percent of those attacks targeted the ,county's ,african-,american population1 although they only constituted #d percent of the county's population4 7#f7 ,previous research suggests that ,black males are also more vulnerable to violent victimization4 ,furthermore1 data suggest that communities of color continue to be victims of hate crime violence4 7#g7 ,the ,los ,angeles ,county ,commission on ,human ,relations report found that the number of hate crimes targeting ,asian and ,pacific islanders tripled from six to eighteen since #bjad4 ,the same report notes that ,anti-,latino hate crimes also rose from #cf in #bjad to #fa in #bjae4 7#h7 ,a study conducted by the ,human ,rights ,campaign notes that out of the number of hate crimes committed against the transgender community from #bjac-bjae1 at least #hg percent of victims were transgender people of color4 7#i7 ,only #af1 or #cj percent1 were killed in ,states that have hate crime laws that account for crimes motivated by the victim's gender identity2 but despite these provisions and a ,federal hate crime law1 not a single one of these murders was prosecuted or reported to the ,,fbi as a hate crime4 7#aj7 ,the ,united ,states is currently facing a surge in religious bias4 ,according to the ,southern ,poverty ,law ,center1 there are currently #iag hate groups operating across the country4 7#aa7 ,a ,,cnn report found that in the first months of #bjag the country experienced a substantial increase in ,anti-,semitic incidents4 ,in comparison to the same period in #bjaf1 ,anti-,semitic incidents were #hf percent higher4 7#ab7 ,historically hate crimes have gone under reported4 ,on average there are #bej1jjj hate crime victims each year1 of which only one-third are reported to the police4 7#ac7 ,it is ,congress' responsibility to provide for sustainable and feasible solutions to reduce1 prevent and mitigate underlying factors responsible for bias incidents4 #c4 ,local hate crime hotlines and hate crime information and assistance web sites ,title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgaa et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,,mm ,,hate ,,crime ,,hotlines ,,and ,,websites #cjca4 ,hate crime hotlines and websites 7a7 ,grant authorization ,the ,attorney ,general shall make grants to ,states1 units of local government1 or any combination thereof1 in partnership with stakeholders1 service providers1 and nonprofit organizations4 7b7 ,mandatory grant uses ,grant funds shall be expended for each of the following purposes3 7#a7 ,hate crime information and assistance website ,to provide for the establishment and operation of a hate crime information and assistance website1 which shall be a highly secure ,internet website that provides information and assistance to victims of hate crimes4 ,in establishing and operating the hate crime information and assistance website1 the grantee shall-- 7,a7 use grant funds for startup and operational costs associated with establishing and operating the website2 7,b7 provide accurate information that describes the services available to victims of hate crimes1 including health care and mental health services1 social services1 transportation1 and other relevant services2 and 7,c7 make the website available to the operator of the hate crime hotline established or expanded pursuant to paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,hate crime hotlines ,to establish or expand a hate crime hotline to provide information and assistance to victims of hate crimes4 ,in addition1 grantees may1 in operating the hotline1 work in conjunction with other local programs and activities that serve targeted areas and that provide legal1 health 7including physical and mental health71 and other support services to victims of hate crimes4 ,in establishing and operating the hotline1 the entity shall-- 7,a7 contract with a carrier for the use of a toll-free telephone line2 7,b7 employ1 train 7including technology training71 and supervise personnel to answer incoming calls and provide counseling and referral services to callers on a #bd-;hour-a-day basis2 7,c7 assemble and maintain a current database of information relating to services for victims of hate crimes to which callers throughout the ,united ,states may be referred2 and 7,d7 be prohibited from asking hotline callers about their citizenship status4 7c7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to require any shelter or service provider1 whether public or private1 to be linked to the hate crime information and assistance website or to provide information to the recipient of the grant described in paragraph 7#a7 or to the website4 7d7 ,application ,the ,attorney ,general may approve an application for a grant under this section only if such application-- 7#a7 contains such agreements1 assurances1 and information1 be in such form1 and be submitted in such manner1 as the ,attorney ,general shall by rule require2 7#b7 in the case of an application for a grant to carry out activities described in subsection 7b77#b71 includes a complete description of the applicant's plan for the operation of a hate crime hotline1 including descriptions of-- 7,a7 the training program for hotline personnel1 including technology training to ensure that all persons affiliated with the hotline are able to effectively operate any technological systems used by the hotline2 7,b7 the hiring criteria for hotline personnel2 7,c7 the methods for the creation1 maintenance1 and updating of a resource database2 7,d7 a plan for publicizing the availability of the hotline2 7,e7 a plan for providing service to non-,english speaking callers that-- 7i7 is based on data from the ,bureau of the ,census and be consistent with the local area demographics where the hate crime hotline will operate--such plan will outline which languages are most prevalent and commonly requested for translation services2 or 7ii7 is based on qualitative and quantitative observation from community service providers including those that provide health and mental health services1 social services1 transportation1 and other relevant services2 and 7,f7 a plan for facilitating access to the hotline by persons with hearing impairments2 and 7#c7 in the case of an application for a grant to carry out activities described in subsection 7b77#a7-- 7,a7 include a complete description of the applicant's plan for the development1 operation1 maintenance1 and updating of information and resources of the hate crime information and assistance website2 7,b7 include a certification that the applicant will implement a high-level security system to ensure the confidentiality of the website1 taking into consideration the safety of hate crime victims2 7,c7 include an assurance that1 after the third year of the website project1 the recipient of the grant will develop a plan to secure other public or private funding resources to ensure the continued operation and maintenance of the website2 7,d7 demonstrate that the applicant has recognized expertise in the area of hate crimes and a record of high quality service to victims of hate crimes1 including a demonstration of support from advocacy groups2 and 7,e7 demonstrate that the applicant has a commitment to diversity1 and to the provision of services to the ethnic1 racial1 religious1 and non-,english speaking minorities1 in addition to older individuals1 individuals with disabilities1 and individuals of various gender1 gender identity1 and sexual orientation4 7e7 ,renewal of grants ,a grant made under this part may be renewed1 without limitations on the duration of such renewal1 to provide additional funds1 if the ,attorney ,general determines that the funds made available to the recipient were used in a manner required under an approved application and if the recipient can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial application4 7f7 ,no-,cost extensions ,notwithstanding subsection 7e71 the ,attorney ,general may extend a grant period1 without limitations as to the duration of such extension1 to provide additional time to complete the objectives of the initial grant award4 7g7 ,definitions ,for the purposes of this part3 7#a7 ,the term hate crime means a crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim1 or in the case of a property crime1 the property that is the object of the crime1 because of the actual or perceived race1 color1 religion1 national origin1 ethnicity1 gender1 gender identity1 disability1 or sexual orientation of any person4 7#b7 ,the term targeted area means an area with a demonstrated lack of resources1 as determined by the ,attorney ,general1 for victims of hate crimes4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #bj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjah and each succeeding fiscal year4 7#b7 ,website ,of the amounts appropriated1 not less than #aj percent shall be used for purposes of carrying out activities under subsection 7b77#a74 7#c7 ,availability ,funds authorized to be appropriated under this section may remain available until expended4 #cjcb4 ,report ,a ,state or unit of local government that receives funds under this part during a fiscal year shall submit to the ,attorney ,general a description and an evaluation report on a date specified by the ,attorney ,general regarding the effectiveness of the programs carried out with a grant under this part4 4 #d4 ,local law enforcement hate crime education and training grant program ,title ,i of such ,act1 as amended1 is further amended by inserting after part ,,mm the following3 ,,nn ,,hate ,,crime ,,education ,,and ,,training ,,grant ,,program #cjda4 ,hate crime education and training grant program 7a7 ,grant authorization 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,attorney ,general shall establish a program to make grants to ,states and units of local government for any purpose described in paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the grant program under this subsection is to enable a law enforcement agency of a ,state or unit of local government to establish and carry out education and training programs on solving and preventing hate crimes and establishing community dialogue with groups whose members are at-risk of being victims of hate crimes4 7#c7 ,eligibility ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this part1 a ,state or unit of local government shall be in compliance with reporting requirements applicable to such entity pursuant to the ,hate ,crimes ,statistics ,act 7#bh ,u4,s4,c4 #ecd note74 7b7 ,preferential consideration of certain grant applications ,the ,attorney ,general shall give priority in considering applications that show disproportionate hate crime activity relative to the total population within the local area where the education and training program will operate4 7c7 ,disproportionate hate crime activity ,for the purposes of this section1 the ,attorney ,general1 in consultation with the ,bureau of the ,census1 shall develop guidelines that define and quantify levels of hate crime activity using statistical data from the ,census and data available from the ,hate ,crimes ,statistics ,act4 7d7 ,contents ,in accordance with such requirements as the ,attorney ,general may by rule establish1 each application for a grant under this section shall-- 7#a7 include a long-term strategy and detailed implementation plan that reflects consultation with community groups and appropriate stakeholders2 7#b7 demonstrate a specific public safety need2 7#c7 explain the applicant's inability to address the need without ,federal assistance2 7#d7 identify related governmental and community initiatives which compliment or will be coordinated with the proposal2 7#e7 certify that there has been appropriate coordination with all affected agencies2 7#f7 explain how the grant will be used to reorient the affected law enforcement agency's mission toward community-oriented policing or enhance its involvement in or commitment to community-oriented policing2 and 7#g7 provide assurances that the applicant will1 to the extent practicable1 seek1 recruit1 and hire members of racial and ethnic minority groups and women in order to increase their ranks within the sworn positions in the law enforcement agency4 7e7 ,renewal of grants ,a grant made under this part may be renewed1 without limitations on the duration of such renewal1 to provide additional funds1 if the ,attorney ,general determines that the funds made available to the recipient were used in a manner required under an approved application and if the recipient can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial application4 7f7 ,no-,cost extensions ,notwithstanding subsection 7e71 the ,attorney ,general may extend a grant period1 without limitations as to the duration of such extension1 to provide additional time to complete the objectives of the initial grant award4 7g7 ,suspension of funds ,if the ,attorney ,general determines that a grant recipient under this section is not in substantial compliance with the terms and requirements of an approved grant application1 the ,attorney ,general may revoke or suspend funding of that grant1 in whole1 or in part4 7h7 ,availability and auditing ,the ,attorney ,general shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any pertinent books1 documents1 papers1 or records of a grant recipient under this section and to the pertinent books1 documents1 papers1 or records of ,state and local governments1 persons1 businesses1 and other entities that are involved in programs1 projects1 or activities for which assistance is provided under this part4 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ae1jjj1jjj for the fiscal year #bjah and each succeeding fiscal year4 #cjdb4 ,report ,a ,state or unit of local government that receives funds under this part during a fiscal year shall submit to the ,attorney ,general a description and an evaluation report on a date specified by the ,attorney ,general regarding the effectiveness of the programs carried out with a grant under this part4 4 #e4 ,community based responses to hate crimes 7a7 ,in general ,the ,attorney ,general shall establish a grant program within the ,office for ,victims of ,crime in the ,office of ,justice ,programs1 under which the ,attorney ,general may award grants to local community based organizations1 nonprofit organizations1 and faith-based organizations to establish or expand local programs and activities that serve targeted areas and that provide legal1 health 7including physical and mental health71 and other support services to victims of hate crimes as defined in subsection 7g77#a7 of section #c4 ,grant funds may be used for activities including-- 7#a7 hiring counselors2 7#b7 providing training and resources to victims2 and 7#c7 language support services4 7b7 ,targeted area defined ,for the purposes of this section1 a targeted area shall be defined as the area described in and defined in subsection 7g77#b7 of section #c of this ,act4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ae1jjj1jjj for the fiscal year #bjah and each succeeding fiscal year4 #f4 ,database of hate crime reports to local hotlines 7a7 ,in general ,a grantee receiving funds under this ,act shall1 on the date that is #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 submit to the appropriate ,state ,attorney ,general1 and the ,attorney ,general1 an annual report of hate crimes reported to the hotlines established under part ,,mm of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgaa et seq474 7b7 ,report contents ,the report in subsection 7a7 shall include the following information with respect to each hate crime reported3 7#a7 ,a description of hate crimes that occurred in the ,state1 including a description of where the hate crimes occurred in the grantee's ,state4 7#b7 ,the frequency1 in total number and percentage terms1 of the use of weapons in reported hate crimes in the grantee's ,state4 7#c7 ,a summary of the total number of hate crimes that were reported in the grantee's ,state4 7#d7 ,a description of the methodologies used by the grantee to collect data4 7c7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to require the publication of personally identifiable data1 which include the names1 addresses1 or physical description of any victims or persons reporting hate crimes4 7d7 ,additional reporting requirements permitted for certain reports ,the ,attorney ,general may1 during the first #ahj days after the ,act's enactment1 prescribe additional reporting requirements for reports submitted to the ,federal ,government1 subject to the limitations in subsection 7d71 to ensure consistent data reporting4