Name: NC lawmakers announce bill to expand hate crime protections
Uploaded: 2021-03-31T08:58:00-0400
Duration: 1387416
Description: House Democrats hold a press conference to announce House Bill 354, which increases the scope of current hate crimes protections to include gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation while creating new felony charges for assaults that are hate crimes.

Consumer Reports surveyed more than 2,000 members who shared their experiences with pet insurance.

Is pet insurance worth the bark? Survey reveals middling results

Pet insurance

The board will lose millions of federal dollars next year, but staffing challenges are pushing board members to find a way to give staff raises.

Wake school board must figure out how to pay staff as federal funds dry up

Wake school bus generic

House Democrats hold a press conference to announce House Bill 354, which increases the scope of current hate crimes protections to include gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation while creating new felony charges for assaults that are hate crimes. 

<p>at a press conference. Hate crimes on the rise, uh, nationwide. And according to the latest FBI data, North Carolina has reported a dramatic increase, Uh, in hate crimes and hate group activity. Nationally, we have witnessed the churches, mosque, synagogues and temples desecrated. We have witnessed mass killings in the Jewish, African, American Muslim and L G B T Q, uh, communities and lately, acts of hatred against our Asian American community. As legislators, we should not only be alarmed, but we should stand in unity for safety of all North Carolinians, regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, nationality, origin, gender, disability or sexual orientation. The North Carolina General Assembly should have passed this bill three years ago. House Bill 3 50 for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act has a history in the North Carolina Legislature. First sponsored in the House in 2017 by Representative More and Quick in 2019 by by Me, representative Harrison Mara and Martin, and today by me, representative Ensco, Maury and Harrison. For your information action, N. C. Was in the genesis of formulating this bill and is represented today by executive director Pat McCoy, one of our speakers House bill 3 50 for addresses, collection of hate crimes data along with judiciary, um, law enforcement and, uh, prosecutor training. We have also added restorative justice sessions as a part of this legislation. We don't think that hate crimes should be a misdemeanor. That's just a slap on the risk. This bill increases hate crimes to a felony. We have numerous speakers to make comments today, and we will begin with representative Ensco, followed by represent, admire, and I would prompt the remaining speakers to approach the podium. Thank you very much. Thank you for coming. Yeah. Yeah. Good morning. I'm Verla Ensco House District 56 which is Orange County. I'm speaking this morning in place of representative Marcia Morey, who crafted the, uh, restorative justice peace in this bill. Uh, and I'm a little later that you're going to hear from Calcutta and Miller, who also insisted, along with representative Majeed, that this section be included, so no, none of the other bills that have been in that have been introduced. Hate crimes have included this restorative justice, peace. But it's very, very important that we do more than just punish the perpetrator. It's really important that we begin to to make an impact on on on reducing and eliminating hate crimes. And so this restorative justice is a beginning in that in that point of view, and it, uh, it's on page one, uh, section d down at the bottom of the page that requires that any, uh, a person immediate family member may in a civil action or any of the obtain that that they may if the perpetrator and the and the victim agree that there will be a restorative justice, a piece put in. So, uh, we are not No one is born a racist. No one is born with a bias against age or gender. We learned that in society because we learned it in society. We also need to start early with prevention and intervention. So I hope that someday that we will have a curriculum in our public schools that deals with this issue, that if we have early childhood education that those those experiences are integrated and that we will begin to we begin to eliminate hate crimes across our country and around the world. So, uh, hate crimes hurt the victim. But hate crimes also hurt the perpetrator. Hate is not healthy, positive emotions are healthy. And so it's to the benefit of society at large, uh, to the benefit of the victim and to the benefit of the perpetrator that we take these steps. Thank you very much. Good morning. I'm representative Greg Meyer represented Caswell and Orange counties. I'm pleased to be a co sponsor of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Thank representative Majeed for his leadership on this bill over the last couple of sessions I've been asked to address to specific provisions of the bill. One is that this does require our state law enforcement agencies to keep track of the data on hate crimes because we hear about high profile hate crimes when they're especially egregious. But we really that doesn't give us the full picture of how often hate is mediated through other crimes on a day to day basis and the way that it's a constant wearing of the spirit upon members of communities who are damaged by hate crimes. And that leads into the other part of the bill that I want to reference, which is the call in the bill for training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors on how to deal with hate crimes and specifically why we think that's important is because hate crime doesn't inflict pain. Uh, only on the direct victim of the crime. When hate crimes are perpetrated onto an individual, they are cast also upon members of that individual's group who are the focus of the hate. And that type of pain and suffering requires a special type of sensitivity and approach from members of law enforcement and prosecuting teams to be able to know how to deal with not just the individual but their family, their community members, etcetera. And to the point that representive Ensco made. If we really want to restore the relationships that we have through this process, we have to do it in a way that addresses healing along with justice. And that's what we're looking forward. The training. Thank you. Yeah, we have with us today. Uh, Commissioner Nita Alum. We honored to have her, and she's going to be speaking for the family of the Barakat family. Uh, and and the losses of those outstanding young people Muslims in the Chapel Hill. Uh, Commissioner Alan Mhm. Mhm. Good morning, everyone. My name is name column. I am a Durham County commissioner. But first and foremost, I'm a proud Muslim American woman, and in 2015 we brutally lost my close friends via Barakat Yusor, Abu Salha and Razan Abu Salha in a hate crime in the Chapel Hill shooting. We had just celebrated the A N Users wedding seven weeks prior. They had just returned from their honeymoon. Yes, sir. Was accepted into UNC Dental School, and Roseanne was studying Design it and see State. Anthea was already a student at UNC Dental School, and their lives were just beginning. Today. The answer would have been graduated. As dentists, they dreamed of using their passions to provide dental relief for marginalized communities. Roseanne would have been NCSU graduate, and she had a love for using her artistic talent to raise funds for community projects. And all of that was lost the day they were murdered by their neighbor. And their families will never be able to enjoy these celebrations of their graduations of future Children. All of those moments were stripped away from them, and their murders were immediately written off as a parking dispute, while Muslims across the state and country were frozen in fear, watching as the lives of three amazing bright and young Muslims were taken on What we all know, It was a hate crime. And let us be clear. Hate crimes have not stopped since then. Even with the lack of full reporting, we know that in 2019 alone, hate crimes rose by over 49% in North Carolina, and communities are hurting, communities are living in fear, and that's not okay. It's past time for North Carolina to pass hate crime prevention legislation. And I ask our state legislators to support this bill and those who are not on board. I ask you, how many more people must we lose for you to take a stand? Uh, executive Director of Action N C uh huh. Pat McCord, Yeah, Accident sees core mission is to promote racial, gender and economic justice. And so we're happy to be standing here with today with our legislators who are sponsoring this bill and also with brave persons from organizations who are part of communities that are directly affected by hate crimes here in North Carolina. Um, as a representative, Majeed, who has worked closely with us on this over the years, said, I'm standing in here today for Robert Dawkins, who runs Our Safe Coalition and See Project, which is devoted to criminal justice reform. He helped draft the initial bill and has worked with folks Uh, since then to get us to the point where we are today, Um has representative Majeed said, and others have reiterated this bill should have been passed when it was introduced several years ago. We're all appalled by what we have been seeing and reading about hate crimes. The rise of them recently, although, and equally strong argument for the urgency of passing this bill in this current session is the fact that hate crimes have always been with us and hate crimes occur every day that don't get reported in the news, but tear the fabric of the communities that the people who are victimized by them live in there are. As representative Meyer said, there are specific sections which we think are particularly important, adding l g B T Q protections to, uh, state law that exists around, uh, some of these measures already, um, should have been included from the start. It's good that it is now. The hate crime database is important so the FBI can compile this information and report to the General Assembly. And that can inform, uh, further actions to do what the Legislature can do to help curb hate crimes here in the state. The training provided for law enforcement and local prosecutors is equally important. Um, and I think many of them would acknowledge the same thing, and we'll be happy to have this made available to them. Previous attempts to do this have never made it out of committee. It's going to take a bipartisan support, as it does for anything here in the General Assembly, to get this done. And in light of recent events and light of the fact that hate crimes are a pervasive problem and with increasing political polarization, social polarisation, they've become an even greater problem. We're all going to have to work hard not just through criminal sanctions, but otherwise to reduce them. And I think many of us would say her today if this bill is going to pass in this session. If not now, then when. Thank you. Yeah. And now Miss Calcula Miller, a student at U. N. Uh, your for college. Thank you. Hi. Mhm. Um Hello. My name is Calculon Miller. I am a Guilford College student. I'm also I also helped write the hate crime bill. Uh, hate Crime Protection Act bill. A prevention act. Anyways, um, I am also a survivor of a hate crime that occurred on July 3rd, 2020 where I was physically and verbally assaulted by a 53 year old white man while attending a black lives matter Visual ab Binkley Baptist Church. Um, it, um, even before that me as a black woman, I am always conscious of being attacked or being seen as a threat. And when it occurs, it is one of the most, um, terrifying, traumatizing experiences. Um, you know, it's something I struggle with every day. They are, uh, doing in July and August. I couldn't even go to work because I was scared that he would come. Or someone that is like him would come and attack me at my workplace. Or, um so it's the trauma is definitely something no one can really get rid of. Like this. Um, sorry. And I think the other traumatizing part is trying to prove to a bunch of people that are supposed to protect me that it was a hate crime. The I mean, you know, did he did get ethnic intimidation with assault on a female at the end. But the process of trying to prove that to people is a It really rips you of your power as a person because you're you're just sitting there saying you have all the evidence that you need But but the thing is, the law doesn't allow for doesn't allow for prosecutors or lawmakers to actually, uh, enforce it because it's a poorly written law. Um, And it's also the idea that three Muslim kids got killed and it wasn't considered a hate crime. Why would mind? Because they hate crime. It's just that's how bad the, um the I think intimidation that exists right now is, um And I think, you know, I'm lucky that I'm even standing here. It's because I have community members. I have this amazing mom, um, who who really riled, riled up and made sure that there was a petition going on to make sure that he gets charged with for a hate crime. Um, but also I know my incident is like a small amount among thousands of incidents that happen every day. And it is, um and I'm doing this because I have to. Amazing siblings. There are these amazing things in the world, but I know the world. This society will see them as a threat and will someday harm them. And I want to make sure that there are laws and regulation here to protect them. It's like it's both the press lawmakers, community members, all our job to protect everyone in our community. So thank you. Yeah, Yes, uh, from happy Miss, uh, Ken Walton. They are. Good morning, everyone. Um, today, I commonly hear mother of three wonderful Pakistani American Muslim Children and vocal member of my API community and an advocate for the rights of all minorities. Rights to speak in support of House Bill 354. The racially motivated attacks in Atlanta against a Asian Americans murder of George Floyd and the unjust murder of three American student at UNC Chapel Hill are all in famous days in our country and state's history. Innocent lives continue to be lost as a result of racially motivated attacks, leaving countless families and communities torn apart. As a mother, I cannot help but be anxious for my Children to arrive home safe every day in fear of the words happening to them. I and countless immigrant mother sacrificed so much to raise our families in a safe environment. However, I am speaking today as I cannot sit back any longer. The Hate Crime Prevention Act is an important bill that needs bipartisan support to bring racial and gender justice to our states justice system. In addition to clarifying and broadening the scope of hate crimes, the bill trains law enforcement in dealing with racial and gender issues. And I hope that with this training, there will be no racism and sexism in our state. We must continue to fight for justice as a coalition of diverse group hate crimes continue to skyrocket against nearly all racial and gender groups. And the first step to bring gain justice and see justice and security to our communities is by passing this bill. I challenge all members of the House and Senate to support this bill and show your commitment to justice, transparent transparency and public security. Thank you. And Mrs Julian Richards from the National Organization of Women. Good morning. I'm Jerry Richards. and I'm the president of the Chapel Hill chapter of the National Organization for Women today. I'm proud to represent North Carolina now and all the women of North Carolina. We are pleased to support the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The existing hate crimes law does not include women by adding gender to the definition. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act remedies that oversight. We also strongly support adding other categories not covered by existing law, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, disability and sexual orientation. You've heard from other speakers specific examples of hate crimes. I have one more case that I'd like to bring to your attention. At least 31 native women have gone missing or have been murdered in eastern North Carolina since 1998. Three women were found murdered in Lumberton within weeks of each other in 2017. Two of them were indigenous women. Four years later, there have been no arrests or suspects targeted in these murders. The Hate Crime Prevention Act clearly makes this a hate crime. It also creates a new felony offense. This bill is sorely needed at a time when hate crimes are real, persistent and increasing. North Carolina now applauds the work of Representative Majeed, representative Ensco, representative Moray, representative Harrison and all who sponsored this bill. We look forward to seeing this bill passed. Thank you very much. Mhm. Um, before we have questions, I'd like to recognize representative Lawton. Represent the dog and represented Logan. If you have something to say, please come up If you want to say something, okay. Okay. We are open for questions. Mhm. What is it? Mhm. Oh, Any questions? Yeah. Yes, thank you. Thank you very much, right? Uh huh.</p>

Chad Flowers

Jessica Patrick

NC lawmakers announce bill to expand hate crime protections 

General Assembly,gender issues,hate crimes

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

I'm meteorologist K Campbell in the severe weather center. It's feeling like summer again. On Thursday, high temperatures reach the upper eighties and we could come awfully close to 90 in Fayetteville. It's possible. Fayetteville sees the 1st 90 degree day of the year. The average first day in the nineties in Fayetteville is, is May 3rd and May twelveth here in the triangle. 87 in the triangle and 85 in rocks, a lot more sunshine in the forecast tomorrow. Those clouds that we saw, they're going to be clearing out overnight. So get some fresh air, enjoy it while you can. We're not going to see these warm days every day for our seven day. We'll wake up to temperatures in the low sixties warming up to 80 degrees by noon and upper eighties for highs during the afternoon. We've got the sunshine tomorrow, but a lot of us could really use the rain, especially anybody who's starting with their gardening, our rainfall for the month of April 66 inches. So that's more than an inch below normal. I would recommend to keep watering your gardens. We do have some opportunities for rain, but none of these rounds look like a widespread soaking rain. I would go ahead and keep watering. We've got a 40% chance of storms on the way. Friday and Friday, we need to keep an eye on the potential for a severe storm. Tonight. We're seeing showers dissipate as they move closer to us. And that trend should continue. We dry out throughout the day tomorrow with the sunshine and then here comes Friday's front in the morning, we'll see some rain in the mountains kind of falling apart. But as this front gets closer to us during the afternoon, as we're heating up, we'll have a more energized atmosphere and this should create some lift to generate some scattered storms throughout the afternoon and evening. It's about a 40% chance that you would see one at your house. The issue is pretty much anywhere in our viewing area. There could be a severe storm. That's why there's level one out of five threat for severe storms, Friday. The threats, damaging wind gusts and hail your seven day forecast shows some big changes are on the way for the weekend. We are cooling down, especially on Sunday, just 68 for the high falling into the 40 Sunday night into Monday morning, Monday, mostly cloudy, some lingering sprinkles possible. And then next week, temperatures are right back in the mid seventies, which is pretty much on par with where we should be this time of year

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

A crash has shut down all but one lane of Interstate 540 westbound near Buffaloe Road in Raleigh. Sky 5 is over the scene

Crash shuts down I-540 West near Buffaloe Road in Raleigh; Sky 5 is over the scene

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Hey there. Good afternoon. I'm Noah Klein. Welcome to this afternoon's draws for Wednesday, April 17th, 2024. Let's get started here with Carolina pick three. That first pick three number is eight, second number is nine. Third number is eight pick 35. Ball number is one. Joining me for this afternoon's drawings are auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. Let's move to the Carolina pick four. That first pick four. Number is nine eight third number 64. Number is five and a pick for firewall number is five. The North Carolina Education lottery contributed over $10 billion to educate occasion. Thank you for your support. You get your winning numbers each day at 3 p.m. and again at 11:22 p.m. right here on your exclusive station for the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Good evening. I'm Tina Sing Cash with tonight's lottery drawings for Tuesday, April 16th, 2024. Here we go. The Carolina pick 35 is our first winning number tonight. Followed by one third pick three is four and our pick three. Fireball number is also four. Joining me for tonight's drawing is our auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. Now let's move on to the Carolina pick four, check your tickets. Good luck too as the first winning number tonight. Second pick 45. 3rd winning number six. Fourth pick four is eight and our pick four. Fireball number is five. Let's turn now to the Carolina cash five. If no one matches all five numbers to win the jackpot tonight, tomorrow's top prize is an estimated $154,000. Good luck first winning cash five number tonight 28 followed by four, third winning number 26. Our fourth cash five tonight is 13 and good luck. Our final winning number is 18. The North Carolina Education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Thanks for your support and get the winning numbers every night right here on your exclusive station for the North Carolina education lottery. Thanks for playing and have a good night.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Tuesday and Friday Mega Millions Drawing.

>> ACROSS AMERICA WITH MEGA JACKPOTS, IT'S MEGA MILLIONS. HELLO, MAYOR COMES ON CODE IS TUESDAY. APRIL 16TH AND TONIGHT'S MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT IS AN ESTIMATED A NEW TIES. 148 MILLION DOLLARS. >> DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. TONIGHT'S DRAWING HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY HALTED. ONCE THE MALFUNCTION IS CORRECTED, THE DRAWING WILL CONTINUE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE AUDITOR. WE SAY TO THE STATION FOR ALL WINNING NUMBERS. >> SPOTTY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POPPING UP HOW

Mega Millions Drawing

Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday Powerball drawings, as shown live on WRAL.

Good evening, America. I'm Michelle Isles. Tonight. We've got another life changing jackpot for you in an estimated amount of $66.5 million. Get your tickets out. We'll start things off tonight with the number seven right after that America. We have 56. Let's congratulate the lucky 30 of Nashua New Hampshire who won $1 million. Your next number up tonight is 61 that's followed by 16 and we'll round it out tonight with 41 now for your winning powerball number. Good luck everyone. It is 23 and your power play multiplier is three. Let's take another look at those winning numbers. Remember there are multiple ways to win. We'll see you back here Wednesday night. Good night, everyone. It's time to play America's favorite jackpot game this.

Powerball Drawing

Fans of the NC State Wolfpack's men's and women's basketball teams are celebrating the teams' run to the Final Four on Monday night on Hillsborough Street at the Memorial Belltower. NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, Athletics Director Boo Corrigan and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin are expected to speak Monday night at the event.

NC lawmakers announce bill to expand hate crime protections

More On This

NC lawmakers announce bill to expand hate crime protections

Related Topics

More Videos

WRAL Late News

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Crash shuts down I-540 West near Buffaloe Road in Raleigh; Sky 5 is over the scene

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Mega Millions Drawing

Powerball Drawing

NC State men's and women's basketball teams honored for Final Four appearances at Memorial Belltower