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A 1565

Establishes the homeless protection act which designates certain offenses against homeless persons as hate crimes

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Catalina Cruz and 13 co-sponsors

Designates offenses against homeless people as hate crimes, enabling enhanced penalties and more aggressive enforcement to protect those facing bias-based violence.

REFERRED TO CODES
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 1565

Summary: Bill A 1565 – Homeless Protection Act

Overview

Bill A 1565, titled the Homeless Protection Act, designates certain offenses against homeless persons as hate crimes. The bill is currently referred to the Codes Committee in the Assembly.

  • Bill number: A 1565
  • Title: Establishes the Homeless Protection Act which designates certain offenses against homeless persons as hate crimes
  • Status: Referred to Codes (Assembly)
  • Introduced: January 10, 2025
  • Primary sponsor: Linda Rosenthal
  • Notable cosponsors: Jo Anne Simon, Andrew Hevesi, Dana Levenberg, Demond Meeks, Rebecca Seawright, Zohran Mamdani, Tony Simone, Catalina Cruz, Al Taylor, Karines Reyes, Yudelka Tapia, Harvey Epstein, Anna Kelles
  • Related bills: Prior-session bills A 1353, A 8275, A 2453, A 9222, A 4824, A 643, A 298, A 2191; companion S 5816 (two listings)

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to enhance protection for homeless individuals by recognizing crimes against them as hate crimes. This is intended to reflect an elevated concern for crimes motivated by bias against homelessness and to address safety and discrimination faced by people experiencing homelessness.

Key provisions (as described)

  • Create or designate offenses against homeless persons as hate crimes, fitting within the state’s hate crime framework.
  • Align the treatment of crimes against homeless individuals with other protected classes under hate crime statutes, potentially enabling enhanced penalties or enhanced prosecutorial options.
  • May involve related measures such as improved reporting, training for law enforcement, and guidance for prosecutors to apply hate-crime enhancements in cases involving homeless victims.

Note: Specific statutory language and the full scope of offenses included are not provided in the summary materials available, so the exact mechanics (which offenses, how penalties are increased, and any thresholds or procedural requirements) are not detailed here.

Affected parties and impact

  • Homeless individuals: Receives higher-level protection and potential penalties when crimes are motivated by bias against homelessness.
  • Law enforcement and prosecutors: Would apply hate-crime enhancements in eligible cases; may require training and adherence to new definitions and procedures.
  • General public and advocacy groups: Could drive greater awareness of bias-based criminal conduct targeting homeless people and influence policy discussions on homelessness and public safety.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Current status: Referred to Codes, indicating the bill is in committee to review, amend, and advance or table.
  • No further actions or deadlines are listed in the provided materials.

Related legislative context

  • A 1565 has several prior-session companions and related bills (A 1353, A 8275, A 2453, A 9222, A 4824, A 643, A 298, A 2191) suggesting ongoing interest in strengthening protections for homeless individuals.
  • Companion bill in another chamber: S 5816.

Potential considerations

  • Policy rationale: Aligns protection of homeless persons with hate-crime frameworks to deter, deter, and punish bias-motivated violence or crimes.
  • Practical implications: Could affect penalties, case processing, and resource needs for law enforcement and courts; may spark debate over criminal justice implications and homelessness policy.
  • Next steps: Monitor Codes Committee actions for amendments, full Assembly consideration, and potential Senate companion movements.

If you’d like, I can add a side-by-side comparison with one of the related prior-session bills or outline a hypothetical penalties table once the exact provisions are available.

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

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