OLYMPIA – The Senate Law & Justice Committee will hear testimony at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 on legislation that adds gender identity or expression to traits protected by the state’s bias-based criminal offenses statute.
Currently, the statute protects against crimes committed because of one’s real or perceived “race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical or sensory handicap.”
Senate Bill 5850, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline), adds gender identity or gender expression to the list of protected traits and officially changes the name of bias-based criminal offenses to “hate crime offenses.” Currently, these offenses are considered “malicious harassment” under the statute.
“In the current divisive climate, where we’re seeing an increase of incidents where people are targeted and harmed just because they belong to one of these groups, it’s important to call hate crimes by name,” said Salomon. “It’s important to include gender identity and expression, because we rightfully protect people with other inborn characteristics such as race; this should be no different.”
Salomon will be available to the media at noon on Tuesday, immediately following the hearing, together with Rep. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), the prime sponsor of House companion legislation, House Bill 1732. Members of supporting organizations and impacted communities will also be present, including The Latino Civic Alliance, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, The Council on American-Islamic Relations-WA, Gender Justice League, and others.
