Sen. Latimer calls for inclusion of JCC Hate Crime Bill in State Budget

For Immediate Release: March 21, 2017
For more Information:  Joseph A. Glazer, Dir. of Comm --518-455-2031

Sen. Latimer Calls for Inclusion of JCC Hate Crime Bill in State Budget
Bill Introduced in Assembly by 7-Term Democrat Charles Lavine of Glen Cove
 
State Senator George Latimer (D-Westchester) today called on Legislative Leaders to include in the 2018 budget his legislation which establishes bomb threats to religious affiliated community centers as hate crimes.
 
The bill introduced earlier this month, has 14 Senate co-sponsors and has been introduced in the Assembly by Charles Lavine of Nassau County. The bill is now S.5065 (Latimer)/A.6739 (Lavine).
 
“This legislation was introduced to address a pressing problem  -- one that continues to grow, with new bomb threats across New York State in the last two weeks. There is support for it, as it is now sponsored by a very prominent colleague in the Assembly. New York needs to act now to stem the growing number of hateful threats on our families simply because they attend locations with religious affiliations,” Senator Latimer said.
 
Latimer pointed out that once the budget is complete, consideration of major legislation tends to wait until the end of session, currently slated for the third full week of June. “There is no good reason to allow these hateful acts to not face the full measure of justice until it is convenient for the legislative calendar,” Latimer added.
 
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