(JTA) — The Georgia legislature approved a hate crimes bill that allows a longer sentence for crimes deemed to be based on a particular bias.

The effort was led in part by the Hate Free Georgia Coalition, a group of 35 nonprofit groups organized by the Anti-Defamation League, the Atlanta Jewish Times reported. Jewish groups have been lobbying for many years for such legislation.

Gov. Brian Kemp will sign the bill, pending legal review, CNN reported, citing Kemp’s communications director.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The measure passed the State Senate in a 47-7 vote and the State House in 127-38 vote on Tuesday.

It was passed on the same day as the funeral in Atlanta for Rayshard Brooks, a Black man who was shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer as he fled with the officer’s Taser following a struggle with two officers.

The bill allows an extra 12 months of imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000 for a misdemeanor conviction and up to two extra years jail time for a felony conviction if the defendant acted with bias because of the victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, mental disability or physical disability.

It took on greater urgency following the February shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man killed while jogging. Three white men have been charged with murder in the case, but they will not be eligible for the sentencing enhancements if found guilty because the crime took place before the law was passed.

With the passage of a hate crime law in Georgia, only three states – Arkansas, South Carolina and Wyoming – do not have any such legislation on their books. A Georgia hate crime law passed in 2000 was thrown out by the state Supreme Court as “unconstitutionally vague” because it did not specifically name the protected groups, according to the Jewish Times.

The post Georgia legislature passes hate crimes legislation appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount