NJ passes LGBT bias bill

On Jan. 7, New Jersey lawmakers passed legislation to strengthen New Jersey's hate crimes and anti-school bullying laws. The bill was approved in the Assembly by a 65 - 10 vote. A few days previously, the New Jersey Senate approved the bill 35 to 0. It now goes to Gov. Jon S. Corzine for his signature. The legislation has two key sections. The first adds "gender identity or expression" to the existing hate crime law with already covers sexuality, race and religion. It also mandates two hours of training on hate crimes for all new police officers, and offers sentencing options to judges, such as anti-hate sensitivity training for convicted defendants. The second part cracks down on bullying in schools, making it mandatory for schools to post on the web, and widely distribute, their anti-school bullying policies. It also creates a Commission on Bullying in Schools. In committee hearings the bill was supported by testimony from the state's largest LGBT civil rights group Garden State Equality, and by the New Jersey Anti-Defamation League, New Jersey Educational Association, the Gender Rights Advocacy Association, and the Attorney General's office on behalf of the Corzine Administration. "It is a momentous day for all New Jersey when the state takes a big step to protect another group particularly vulnerable to hate crimes, and when it takes meaningful action towards eradicating bullying in our schools," said attorney Leslie Farber, chair of the GLBT Rights Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association and a board member of Garden State Equality. "From an important legal standpoint, the bill brings the scope of the state's hate crimes law in line with that of the state's Law Against Discrimination." Last year's FBI report on hate crimes ranked New Jersey #2 in hate crimes nationally, behind only California. Federal hate crime legislation has become bogged down in Congress.