Senate Bill 202, the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill, has been scheduled for its second hearing before the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17th at 1:30 p.m. in Room 105 of the new Thomas Stewart Building adjacent to the Capitol. Because this is the second hearing on the bill, the focus will mostly likely be a discussion among committee members regarding possible amendments to the bill. Discussion may be followed by a vote to determine passage out of committee.
Action is needed on your part between now and Wednesday. Please send a message to ask Senators on the Judiciary Committee to amend the bill by adding gender identity and expression in paragraph (a) of Section 11.76.150. (Once the bill has been amended, a CS or Committee Substitute will declared.) Also ask committee members to pass the CS for SB 202 out of committee.
Please send an email message to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plus the bill's sponsor, Senator Davis today. It is always a good idea to copy your own state senator as well. The legislators are:
Senator Hollis French
Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator_Bill_Wielechowski@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator_Dennis_Egan@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us
Senator John Coghill
Senator_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Bettye Davis
Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us
Action is needed on your part between now and Wednesday. Please send a message to ask Senators on the Judiciary Committee to amend the bill by adding gender identity and expression in paragraph (a) of Section 11.76.150. (Once the bill has been amended, a CS or Committee Substitute will declared.) Also ask committee members to pass the CS for SB 202 out of committee.
Please send an email message to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plus the bill's sponsor, Senator Davis today. It is always a good idea to copy your own state senator as well. The legislators are:
Senator Hollis French
Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator_Bill_Wielechowski@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator_Dennis_Egan@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us
Senator John Coghill
Senator_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Bettye Davis
Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us
If you are not able to send an email, then another option is a Public Opinion Message or POM, a short and easy-to-send 50 word message that should be addressed specifically to the Senators listed in the previous paragraph. To send a POM go to: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/
Your POM could say something like:
"I strongly support SB 202 with an amendment that adds gender identity and expression to Section 11.76.150(a). Please pass this bill, with a gender identity amendment, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17th."
The following talking points are provided for your use in sending a message to legislators regarding SB 202.
Your POM could say something like:
"I strongly support SB 202 with an amendment that adds gender identity and expression to Section 11.76.150(a). Please pass this bill, with a gender identity amendment, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17th."
The following talking points are provided for your use in sending a message to legislators regarding SB 202.
SB 202 Talking Points for Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.
1. We/I support the amendment of SB 202 to add the phrase "gender identity and expression" to Sec. 11.76.150 (a) because:
a) it covers crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim's sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics, but does not yet cover gender identity.
b) people who are perceived as gender variant, whether heterosexual or gay, seem "different" to some people and may evoke a violent emotional response leading to harm.
c) a substantial number of crimes have been documented that are based on the societal perception of someone as "too feminine" or "too masculine," or transgender. These crimes can include bullying in schools as well as assault and battery throughout Alaskan communities.
b) people who are perceived as gender variant, whether heterosexual or gay, seem "different" to some people and may evoke a violent emotional response leading to harm.
c) a substantial number of crimes have been documented that are based on the societal perception of someone as "too feminine" or "too masculine," or transgender. These crimes can include bullying in schools as well as assault and battery throughout Alaskan communities.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at alaskanstogether@gmail.com.
The full text of the bill can be found at:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=SB0202A&session=26.
The full text of the bill can be found at:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=SB0202A&session=26.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.
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