NC Democrats push to expand scope, punishment for hate crimes

North Carolina House Democrats believe the state needs to do more to address a rise in hate crimes in recent years.

FBI data shows a 75% increase in hate crimes in the state between 2018 and 2020, with crimes against Black people nearly doubled, though not all police agencies contribute to the data.

At a press conference Tuesday, Democrats in the General Assembly highlighted the trend, which they said also involves an increase in crimes against Jewish, Asian, Muslim, disabled, and LGBTQ residents in North Carolina and beyond.

“Hate crimes are on the rise nationwide. North Carolina has reported a drastic increase in hate crimes and hate crime activity,” said Rep. Nasif Majeed, a third-term Mecklenburg County Democrat and Air Force veteran. “It’s disgraceful the Republican majority has not brought a hate crimes bill to the floor for a vote. Our North Carolina Republican legislators need to step up.”

TCS story on increase in state reporting

Majeed introduced House Bill 596, The Hate Crimes Prevention Act, alongside several Democratic colleagues and religious leaders in Raleigh. The legislation proposes to increase the penalty for hate crimes, expand the definition, create a database, and improve training for law enforcement and prosecutors that deal with hate crimes.

The proposal would also allow for restorative justice practices for those convicted of hate crimes that proponents contend will benefit both victims and perpetrators.

“Our hate crimes statute that’s currently on the books is outdated,” said Rep. Allen Buansi, D-Orange.

Buansi said the current statute provides only a misdemeanor punishment, and does not recognize hate crimes based on gender, disability or sexual orientation. HB596 would include those protected classes and increase the penalty to a Class H felony, punishable by up to 25 months in prison. The bill has more than two dozen sponsors and co-sponsors, all Democrats.

“We have to do better to make sure everyone in North Carolina feels safe,” Buansi said.

Rep. Maria Cervania, D-Wake, contends the bill would help show “hate crime victims they’re not alone” and “help law enforcement identify trends.”

Rep. Allison Dahle, a Democrat representing Wake County, highlighted statistics showing 4% of North Carolinians, or 422,000, are not cisgender. Cisgender is a term meaning a person's sense of gender is the same now as at birth. About 12% have reported hate crimes, or more than 50,000, Dahle said.

“That’s not even the half of what we know are out there,” Dahle said. “We’re not talking about some far off crime somewhere, we’re talking about here, today, right now.”

Several religious figures and those representing minority communities also attended the press conference to lend support, including Edward Binanay with Asian Pacific Islander Outreach; Imam Oliver Mohammed of the As Salaam Islamic Center of Raleigh; and Rabbi Eric Solomon with the Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh.