A hate crime bill has passed in the state of Georgia following the public outrage over the death of Ahmaud Arbery who was shot dead while jogging.
25-year-old Arbery had been jogging near Brunswick in Georgia when two residents pursued him and shot him dead.
Following the young man’s premature death, the public outcry over the lack of equality and racial justice had eventually reached the ears of the lawmakers.
Months after the February shooting, the Georgia legislature finally passed the hate crime bill – a historic moment for one of a few states without a hate crime law in place.
Under the new legislation, greater criminal penalties will be imposed on people who commit crimes against others based on reasons such as race, sexual orientation, skin color, national origin, religion, gender, and physical or mental disabilities.
According to the reports, the passing of the bill was announced by the press office of Georgia State Senate who confirmed that the bill was approved with 47 votes against 6.
Following the approval, the HB 426 bill was passed on to the House where it was subjected to the final approval by a vote of 127 against 38.
The other states in the U.S. that don’t have hate crime laws in place as of this moment include Arkansas, South Carolina, and Wyoming.
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Replaced!