AB 1064: Hate crimes.

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.

This bill would, instead, define a hate crime as a criminal act that is motivated in whole or in part by a bias against one or more of the protected characteristics. The bill would define bias against and would specify that evidence of bias against a perceived characteristic of the victim motivation may include include, among other things, instances when the person has taken specified actions, including using a slur based on the actual or perceived characteristic of the victim, vandalizing property using words or symbols commonly associated with a hate group or that show bias motivation based on the actual or perceived characteristic of the victim, selectively targeting victims based on the actual or perceived characteristic of the victim, or posting on social media or other media blaming persons with the same actual or perceived characteristic as the victim for a societal problem. selectively targeted the victim based on the actual or perceived characteristic of the victim. By changing the definition of a crime, this 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.