Share:
Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 3, 2023 04:14 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Sharif Street and Sen. Judith L. Schwank, Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione, Sen. Vincent J. Hughes |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Protecting Our Sacred Spaces |
| In the near future, we will introduce a bill that amends Section 3307 of Title 18 (Institutional Vandalism) to enhance the existing statute and make several technical changes meant to give a district attorney expanded options for combating vandalism of sacred spaces such as faith institutions, cemeteries, or memorials. Over the past few years we’ve seen churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship targeted deliberately by those who wish to express hate. Recently, a “National Day of Hate” garnered significant attention and warnings from law enforcement about possible attacks on religious institutions across the United States. This rhetoric has consequences. In Philadelphia alone, we’ve seen Jewish cemeteries targeted by vandals and just within the last few weeks the Masjidullah mosque was defaced. In Reading, the Jesus is Alive World Center was recently severely damaged. These acts or threats are meant to intimidate entire religious groups and an inadequate response from government allows them to develop into further violent acts of hate. This is unacceptable in our nation where we pride ourselves on our foundation of free exercise of religion. It is our responsibility to appropriately respond to those individuals who think it is acceptable to attack or threaten individuals or institutions because of what they believe. We can do that now. Please join us in sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB697