Hate, Violence, and Death on Main Street USA - National Coalition ...

HATE, VIOLENCE, AND DEATH ON MAIN STREET USA2008Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §1151, sub-§8, B, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 149, §1, is amended to read:B. The selection by the defendant of the person against whom the crime was committed or of theproperty that was damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the race, color, religion,sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or homelessness ofthat person or of the owner or occupant of that property.ALASKA LEGISLATIONSB 211 was enacted in 2008. This bill added homeless status to an existing law creating moreprotection for vulnerable populations.Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Alaska:Section 1. AS 12.55.155(c)(5)(5) the defendant knew or reasonably should have known that the victim of the offense wasparticularly vulnerable or incapable of resistance due to advanced age, disability, ill health,homelessness, or extreme youth or was for any other reason substantially incapable of exercisingnormal physical or mental powers of resistance;MARYLAND LEGISLATIONSB 151 was signed into law on May 7, 2009, by Governor O’Malley (D-MD). Upon signing,Maryl<strong>and</strong> became the first state to non-discretionally include homeless people in its hate crimeslaw. The law is set to become effective October 1, 2009.Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryl<strong>and</strong>, that the laws of Maryl<strong>and</strong> read asfollows:Because of another’s race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender,or national origin, or because another is homeless, a person may not:(i) commit a crime against that person;(ii) damage the real or personal property of that person;(iii) deface, damage, or destroy, or attempt to deface, damage, ordestroy the real or personal property of that person; or(iv) burn or attempt to burn an object on the real or personalproperty of that person; or(2) commit a violation of item (1) of this section that:(i) except as provided in item (ii) of this item, involves aseparate crime that is a felony; or(ii) results in the death of the victim.10–305.A person may not deface, damage, or destroy, attempt to deface, damage, ordestroy, burn or attempt to burn an object on, or damage the real or personal property54