Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, later known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, was signed into law in 2009. This legislation expanded federal hate crime statutes to include violent crimes motivated by a victim's disability, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.12

A hate crime is defined as harassment, intimidation, or physical violence motivated by bias against characteristics integral to a victim's social identity, such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. The concept of hate crimes gained prominence in the United States in the late 1970s, with laws mandating additional penalties for bias-motivated crimes enacted by the federal government and most states by the end of the 20th century. The act was named in part after Matthew Shepard, a college student whose 1998 murder due to his sexual orientation highlighted the need for more comprehensive federal hate crime legislation.12