Expansion of hate crimes pushed by Sharpton, Dukes, groups representing marginalized communities

Nearly two dozen groups and individuals have signed onto a letter urging state legislative leaders to support a bill that would expand the list of offenses eligible to be charged as a hate crime. But those same leaders removed the legislation from their one-house budget proposals after Gov. Kathy Hochul included the language in her executive budget.

The letter, organized by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, is signed by 21 different groups and individuals representing a wide range of marginalized communities. Signatories include Rev. Al Sharpton, Hazel Dukes – president of the NAACP New York State Conference – the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the Asian Bar Association, the Hispanic Federation, Equality New York and the Muslim Bar Association of New York. the Muslim Bar Association of New York. 

“We urge you to consider the importance of the Hate Crimes Modernization Act and to lend your support to its passage” the letter to state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Member Carl Heastie reads. “Together, we can send a powerful message that our state is committed to protecting the rights and well-being of all its residents and creating communities where everyone can live free from fear and discrimination.”

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Grace Lee, alongside Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, introduced the Hate Crimes Modernization Act in November last year. The bill would increase the number of offenses that prosecutors could charge as hate crimes from the 66 covered under current statute to 97. Under the proposal, charges such as making graffiti and gang assault could be charged as a hate crime depending on the circumstances. 

Hochul included the hate crimes legislation in her executive budget plan, and has touted it several times since the beginning of the year. But both the state Senate and the Assembly axed the proposal from their one-house rebuttals. State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris told reporters last week that his chamber would revisit the proposal after the budget. “We think that is not particularly a fiscal issue that should be dealt with in the budget,” Gianaris said. “That's something that can easily be taken up after the fact, and we'd have our opinions on that, but not necessarily in the budget.” Heastie did not opine specifically on the hate crimes legislation, but reiterated last week his standing policy against doing policy in the budget.