Connecticut legislature passes stronger hate crime bill News
Connecticut legislature passes stronger hate crime bill

The Connecticut General Assembly [official website] on Tuesday passed HB 5743 [text, PDF], an anti-hate crime bill that could be the strongest in the country. The legislation makes any hate crime an automatic felony rather than a misdemeanor. The bill is also more inclusive as to what constitutes a hate crime by adding violence or threats based on someone’s gender. Additionally, the bill increases penalties for threats against certain facilities such as religious institutions and day cares. A provision for a minimum penalty of a $1,000 fine is included as well as the ability to impose relevant community service on any convicted of a hate crime. Democratic and Republican Senators voted unanimously on the new legislation which is now headed to Governor Dannel Malloy [official website] for consideration.

An increase in hate crimes has been reported around the globe. In November the FBI said [JURIST report] that hate crimes, especially against Muslims, were on the rise in the US. In the UK, prosecutors have been encouraged [JURIST report] to use tougher sentences against hate crimes [BBC report] in response to the nation’s increasingly hostile environment since the EU referendum. Since the middle of June more than 6,000 hate crimes and incidents have been reported to the authorities.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US suffragists formed Equal Rights Party, named Presidential candidate

On September 20, 1884, a group of American suffragists formed the Equal Rights Party in San Francisco, dedicated to "equal and exact justice to every class of our citizens, without distinction of color, sex, or nationality" and in support of the proposition that "the laws of the several states be so amended that women will be recognized as voters, and their property-rights made equal with that of the male population, to the end that they may become self-supporting - rather than a dependent class." Read the full text of the first platform of the Equal Rights Party. The party immediately nominated Mrs. Belva Lockwood for US President and Marietta Snow for Vice-President. Grover Cleveland won that election, but Lockwood was included in a number of presidential primaries and is recorded to have won some 4149 votes from the male voters of the time.

Catholic Church tries Galileo for heresy

On September 20, 1633, the Roman Catholic Church tried Galileo Galilei on charges of heresy. Galileo was brought before the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith for his assertion that the Earth orbits the Sun. He was sentenced to spend the rest of his life under house arrest. Read documents from the trial of Galileo.

Suffragists formed Equal Rights Party, named Presidential candidate

On September 20, 1884, a group of suffragists formed the Equal Rights Party in San Francisco, dedicated to "equal and exact justice to every class of our citizens, without distinction of color, sex, or nationality" and in support of the proposition that "the laws of the several states be so amended that women will be recognized as voters, and their property-rights made equal with that of the male population, to the end that they may become self-supporting - rather than a dependent class."
Read the full text of the first platform of the Equal Rights Party.

The party immediately nominated Mrs. Belva Lockwood for US President and Marietta Snow for Vice-President. Grover Cleveland won that election, but Lockwood was included in a number of presidential primaries, and is recorded to have won some 4149 votes from the male voters of the time.