PRINTER'S NO. 2459
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
495
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY SCHLOSSBERG, MURT, BOYLE, CALTAGIRONE, CHARLTON,
CRUZ, DAVIS, DEAN, DEASY, DeLUCA, DONATUCCI, DRISCOLL,
FRANKEL, HARKINS, J. HARRIS, HILL-EVANS, KINSEY, McCLINTON,
McNEILL, MENTZER, MILLARD, NEILSON, O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI,
READSHAW, ROEBUCK, ROZZI, SAYLOR, SCHWEYER, SOLOMON, THOMAS,
VAZQUEZ, WATSON AND BIZZARRO, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Condemning hate crime and any other form of racism, religious or
ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement to violence or animus
targeting a minority in this Commonwealth and beyond.
WHEREAS, Over the past several years, violent crimes, threats
of violence and other incidents of hate-motivated targeting of
religious, racial and ethnic minorities have increased across
the United States; and
WHEREAS, According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in
2015, hate crimes targeting Muslims in the United States
increased by 67%, reaching a level of violence targeting Muslim
Americans that the United States had not experienced since the
aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks; and
WHEREAS, Muslims serve their communities and country as
contributing members of society who care deeply about this
nation and are troubled by the rise in hateful rhetoric against
the Islamic faith; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
WHEREAS, Incidents of anti-Islamic and anti-Semitic speech
and behavior have been increasing across this Commonwealth and
the United States; and
WHEREAS, According to the Anti-Defamation League's annual
Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, 67 reported incidents of anti-
Semitic behavior targeting Jews and Jewish institutions occurred
in Pennsylvania in 2016; and
WHEREAS, Assaults targeting Jews have tripled nationally
since 2012, and online harassment and hate speech directed at
Jewish journalists and individuals through social media has
increased; and
WHEREAS, According to the Anti-Defamation League, during the
2016-2017 school year, institutions of higher education also
experienced an increase in white supremacist activity on college
campuses across the United States; and
WHEREAS, According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
among single-bias hate crime incidents in 2015 across the United
States, 59.2% of victims were targeted due to racial, ethnic or
ancestry bias, and among those victims, 52.2% were victims of
crimes motivated by their offenders' anti-Black or anti-African-
American bias; and
WHEREAS, In 2017, there have been more than 100 reported bomb
threats against Jewish community centers, Jewish day schools and
other Jewish organizations and institutions in more than 38
states; and
WHEREAS, In 2017, Islamic centers and mosques in Texas,
Washington and Florida have been burned, a mosque in Minnesota
has been bombed and Jewish cemeteries in Missouri and
Pennsylvania have been desecrated; and
WHEREAS, In 2017, incidents of harassment and hate-based
20170HR0495PN2459 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
violence against individuals who are perceived to be Arab or
Muslim, including members of South Asian communities in the
United States, and Hindu and Sikh Americans have been the target
of hate-based violence against religious minorities; and
WHEREAS, On February 28, 2017, before a joint session of the
Congress of the United States, the President of the United
States denounced threats targeting Jewish community centers and
the vandalism of Jewish cemeteries by stating that "we are a
country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of
its very ugly forms"; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has a proud history of standing as a
beacon and a refuge for people of all religions seeking freedom
from persecution, beginning with the founding of this
Commonwealth by William Penn in 1681 through the present day;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives condemn all hate
crimes and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias,
discrimination, incitement to violence or animus targeting a
minority in this Commonwealth and beyond; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all law
enforcement officials to expeditiously investigate all credible
reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against
minorities in this Commonwealth and hold perpetrators
accountable for these hate crimes, incidents or threats; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
Attorney General of the Commonwealth, in consultation with other
law enforcement officials, to develop effective strategies and
efforts to detect and deter hate crimes in order to protect
minority communities, to emphasize the importance of law
20170HR0495PN2459 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
enforcement agencies' collection and reporting of data on hate
crimes pursuant to Federal law and to encourage agencies to
improve the reporting of hate crimes; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives affirm that all
faiths must be equally protected to enjoy real and true
religious freedom, condemn hate and evil in all forms and reject
hate-motivated crime as an attack on the fabric of the society
of this Commonwealth and our shared ideals of pluralism and
respect.
20170HR0495PN2459 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9