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117-s-937117th Congress

COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

Sponsored By: Senator Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

Became Law

Summary

Expedited federal review of COVID-19-era hate crimes is the central goal. The law strengthens reporting, data collection, public education, and support systems for bias-motivated violence linked to the pandemic.

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  • Communities and victims get expanded reporting and support. The law funds state hotlines with grants that can run up to 5 years and requires privacy protections and language and disability access.
  • State, local, and Tribal law enforcement must follow new guidance on online reporting and standardized data collection. The Attorney General must issue guidance, fund National Incident-Based Reporting System implementation and training, and the Department of Justice must designate an officer within 7 days to oversee expedited reviews during the defined applicable period.
  • Courts gain a new sentencing option for bias-motivated offenses. Judges can require education classes or community service directly related to the harmed community as a condition of supervised release.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Grants to improve hate-crime reporting

The Justice Department gives grants to States and local agencies to prevent and respond to hate crimes and improve reporting. Money can pay for policies, data systems, special units, community outreach, and training, including NIBRS training. Funded agencies must report twice a year, and States must report yearly. Starting three years after a State first gets a grant, it must send hate-crime data to the FBI through the Uniform Crime Reporting system; the Attorney General can allow 120 extra days for good-faith efforts and must waive any unconstitutional requirement. If a State fails to substantially comply, it must repay the full grant with allowed interest and penalties. Each year, the Attorney General publishes an analysis for Congress of reported hate crimes and which agencies adopted policies, systems, units, outreach, and trainings. The law defines which acts are hate crimes and which local agencies are “priority agencies” for these grants.

Online reporting and education guidance

The Attorney General issues guidance to help police set up online hate-crime reporting. Reporting must work equally well for people with disabilities and be available in multiple languages. Agencies must collect data broken down by the protected groups named in federal law. The law expands public education about hate crimes. The Attorney General and Health and Human Services, with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force and community groups, issue guidance to raise awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State hotlines to report hate crimes

The Justice Department funds State-run hate-crime hotlines. Grants can last up to five years. Hotlines must refer callers to police when needed and connect them to local support services. Staff must be trained on hate-crime laws and local resources. Hotlines must protect caller privacy unless the caller agrees to share information. Hotlines must be accessible for people with limited English and people with disabilities. The Attorney General issues best-practice guidance.

Faster federal review of hate crimes

Within 7 days after enactment, the Attorney General designates a Justice Department officer to speed review of hate-crime cases. The officer also reports these crimes to federal, State, local, or Tribal police. This role starts on the day of designation. It ends one year after the emergency period in the Social Security Act ends. The Attorney General may extend the period.

Restorative classes or service for offenders

When a person is on supervised release after a federal hate-crime conviction, courts may require classes or community service. The work must relate to the community harmed by the offense. This is an explicit condition allowed under federal supervised-release law.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

HI • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 3/23/2021

  • Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 3/24/2021

  • Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 3/24/2021

  • Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 3/24/2021

  • Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 4/12/2021

  • Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 4/13/2021

  • Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 4/13/2021

  • Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]

    MT • D

    Sponsored 4/13/2021

  • Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/13/2021

  • Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 4/15/2021

  • Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

    ME • I

    Sponsored 4/15/2021

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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