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Utah is about to get a tougher hate crimes law after final legislative OK

Leah Hogsten  |  The Salt Lake Tribune   l-r Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill talks with Sen. Derek Kitchen, D-Salt Lake City prior to the vote in the Senate. SB103 by Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper SB103 sponsored by Daniel Thatcher, R- West Valley City, Utah's current hate crimes bill, moved ahead in the Senate on Monday with a preliminary 19-9 vote. Thatcher's bill would allow judges to increase penalties for a crime if a defendant is convicted of targeting someone based on ancestry, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or sexual orientation. A person must first be convicted of a crime before additional penalties would apply. Under the state's current hate crimes law, only misdemeanor assaults can be enhanced as hate crimes. This update would also enable enhancements for felonies.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill talks with Sen. Derek Kitchen, D-Salt Lake City prior to the vote in the Senate. SB103 by Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper SB103 sponsored by Daniel Thatcher, R- West Valley City, Utah's current hate crimes bill, moved ahead in the Senate on Monday with a preliminary 19-9 vote. Thatcher's bill would allow judges to increase penalties for a crime if a defendant is convicted of targeting someone based on ancestry, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or sexual orientation. A person must first be convicted of a crime before additional penalties would apply. Under the state's current hate crimes law, only misdemeanor assaults can be enhanced as hate crimes. This update would also enable enhancements for felonies.