NY Governor Hochul signs new bills to raise tolerance, tamp down on hate crimes

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed two new pieces of legislation into law this week aimed at decreasing hate crimes and promoting tolerance across the state.

Hochul released a statement last week on Tuesday detailing the new laws, the first of which establishes a statewide campaign to promote and increase tolerance for “religion, race, color, creed, sex, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.”

The second piece of legislation signed into law requires anyone found guilty of a hate crime in the state to undergo hate crime counseling and prevention education as part of their sentencing.

“New York belongs to the good, not those with hate in their hearts – we’re taking bold action to reclaim our city and state from the haters, bigots and white supremacists,” Hochul said. “Domestic-based violent extremism is the greatest threat to our homeland security, and that is why we continue to remain laser-focused on combating hate and keeping New Yorkers safe.”

The hate crime education requirement will mandate hate crime sentencing to include state-approved training or counseling sessions in addition to any other punishments they receive for their crimes.

“We must do more than simply punish these attackers,” said State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “Whether it be neo-Nazis in the subway or hateful extremists in Colorado, it is time to replace hate with education. This legislation will help educate perpetrators in an attempt to help break this troubling cycle.”