It is so simple. You’ll be amazed.
Idaho needs to include LGBT people in it’s hate crime laws.
Here’s how to do it.
In Idaho, hate crimes fall under “malicious harassment” laws, which were added to state statues in 1983.
TITLE 18
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
CHAPTER 79
MALICIOUS HARASSMENT
18-7902. Malicious harassment defined — Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person, maliciously and with the specific intent to intimidate or harass another person because of that person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin, to:
(a) Cause physical injury to another person; or
(b) Damage, destroy, or deface any real or personal property of another person; or
(c) Threaten, by word or act, to do the acts prohibited if there is reasonable cause to believe that any of the acts described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section will occur.
Just include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” and you’ve done it.
Easy peasy.
Idaho’s hate crime laws work:
- Here’s a story about a man who is currently being charged for attacking a Syrian refugee.
- Here’s a story about a man who was charged with malicious harassment for an incident in 2010.
- Here’s a story about a woman who was charged after beating a Jewish woman.
- Here’s a story about a man who was charged after threatening a Hispanic boy on a bus.
This is doable. We just need the legislature to act.
