Hate crimes: political affiliation., the official text

An act to amend Section 422.76 of the Penal Code, relating to hate crimes.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law defines “hate crime” as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of actual or perceived characteristics of the victim, including, among other things, race, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. Except as provided, existing law requires the fact that a person committed or attempted to commit a felony that is a hate crime to be considered a circumstance in aggravation of the crime in imposing a specified term.
This bill, the Hortman-Kirk Political Violence Prevention Act, in the case of any felony conviction, would authorize the court to consider as a circumstance in aggravation in sentencing the fact that the defendant’s conduct was motivated, in whole or in part, by the victim’s actual or perceived political affiliation. The bill would define “political affiliation” to mean the state of belonging to a political party, the endorsement of a political party or a platform of a political party, or the endorsement of a politician or a platform of a politician. By increasing the punishment for a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
This act shall be known, and may be cited as, the Hortman-Kirk Political Violence Prevention Act.

SEC. 2.
Section 422.76 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
422.76.
(a) Except where the court imposes additional punishment under Section 422.75 or in a case in which the person has been convicted of an offense subject to Section 1170.8, the fact that a person committed a felony or attempted to commit a felony that is a hate crime shall be considered a circumstance in aggravation of the crime in imposing a term under subdivision (b) of Section 1170.
(b) (1) In the case of any felony conviction, the fact that the defendant’s conduct was motivated, in whole or in part, by the victim’s actual or perceived political affiliation may be considered as a circumstance in aggravation in sentencing.
(2) “Political affiliation” means the state of belonging to a political party, the endorsement of a political party or a platform of a political party, or the endorsement of a politician or a platform of a politician.

SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.