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Bill

SJR 41

Condemns hate in all forms and especially all hate and bias crimes.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jim Beach and 1 co-sponsor

Condemns hate and bias crimes; urges Governor and Attorney General to expand victim support, improve reporting, pursue prosecutions, and boost security at places of worship.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee
#crimes #minority
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SJR 41

Summary — SJR 41: “Condemns hate in all forms and especially all hate and bias crimes.”

Overview / Purpose

SJR 41 is a joint resolution that formally condemns all forms of hatred and hate- or bias-motivated crimes (including violence, threats, discrimination, and incitement). It affirms the State’s commitment to protecting diverse communities and urges executive-branch action to support victims, improve reporting and enforcement, and develop strategies to prevent bias-motivated incidents.

Key provisions

  • Express condemnation of all hatred, hate-based violence, incitement to violence, and bias directed at persons because of race, religion, ethnicity, disability, age, marital/familial status, gender, or sexual orientation.
  • Urges the Governor and the Attorney General to:
    • Continue and expand assistance to victims of hate and bias crimes.
    • Improve and promote mechanisms for citizens to report hate/bias incidents.
    • Pursue prosecutions of such crimes where appropriate.
    • Enhance security and preparedness at places of worship and other institutions likely to be targeted.
  • Calls for continued research and development of new methods for understanding and combatting hatred and bias crimes.
  • Takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Context / Rationale

The resolution cites an observed increase in hate and bias crimes in recent years and references prior state efforts (bias-crime units, summits, task force reports, civil-rights incident-response teams) as background. It is a policy statement intended to reinforce and promote continued state attention to these issues.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: victims and communities targeted by hate/bias incidents.
  • Entities urged to act: Governor’s office, Attorney General’s office, state law-enforcement agencies, county prosecutors, places of worship, and community organizations.
  • Legal effect: symbolic/directive to executive branch—does not itself create new criminal penalties or appropriate funds.

Procedural / Timeline notes

  • Introduced: Jan 22, 2025.
  • Read first time / committee referrals occurred in Feb–Mar 2025.
  • Enrolled/delivered to Governor: April 1, 2025.
  • Enacted: April 8, 2025.
  • Related / companion measures listed: HJR 22 and AJR 89.
  • Sponsor listed: Chapin Rose (primary).

Limitations & Practical impact

As a joint resolution, SJR 41 is primarily declarative and advisory: it signals state policy priorities and urges executive action but does not itself allocate funding or change criminal statutes. Its practical impact depends on follow-up by the Governor, Attorney General, and state/local agencies to implement programs, reporting improvements, prosecutions, or security measures.

Note on source materials

The supplied documents included multiple unrelated texts (commendatory resolution for an educator and an interstate‑expansion study) from different jurisdictions. This summary focuses on the joint-resolution text that matches the title and subject (condemning hate and bias crimes).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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