Hate Crimes Bill Put on Pentagon Measure

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate  on Thursday attached legislation to help states prosecute attacks on homosexuals to a must-pass bill to fund the war in Iraq  in an effort to force President Bush  to sign it into law. Opponents, citing Bush's earlier veto threat of the hate crimes legislation, predicted it ultimately would fail. 

The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay college freshman who was beaten into a coma in 1998 in Laramie, Wyo. He died five days later.

Under current federal law, hate crimes apply to acts of violence against individuals on the basis of race, religion, color or national origin. Federal prosecutors have jurisdiction only if the victim is engaged in a specific federally protected activity such as voting.

The House bill would extend the hate crimes category to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability and give federal authorities greater leeway to participate in hate crime investigations. It would approve $10 million over the next two years to help local law enforcement officials cover the cost of hate crime prosecutions.
For the full story.. go here.

UPDATE http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/09/senate-votes-60.html