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Key Findings
- SB 5427 would offer people a reward of up to $2,000 to report their neighbors, co-workers, family members and other people in the community for a “hate crime” or “bias incident.”
- The bill would create a hotline to the state Attorney General’s office for this purpose.
- The dollar reward would create an incentive to report incidents even when there is no evidence a criminal violation had occurred.
- The bill would create the possibility that informants will simply report people they don’t like to get them in trouble with the Attorney General.
- Under the bill the term “bias incident” can include “expressions” and other verbal statements, raising civil rights concerns about criminalizing First Amendment-protected speech.
- The bill provides no process for accused people to clear their names.
- This bill creates a financial incentive for people to judge each other, creating a suspicious, hostile environment in classrooms, workplaces and in the community.
Introduction
SB 5427 would create a special hotline to the Attorney General’s office and provide an incentive of up to $2,000 per claim to people who report to authorities that they have knowledge of a “hate crime” or “bias incident” committed by a neighbor, co-worker, family member or others residing in their community.
READ THE FULL LEGISLATIVE MEMO HERE
