UPDATE: BY A STUNNING 35-0 VOTE, NEW JERSEY SENATE APPROVES OVERHAUL OF THE STATE'S HATE CRIMES AND SCHOOL BULLYING LAWS

The full Assembly will pass the bill on Monday. Earlier today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved the bill 5-0.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Contact: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality

By a stunning 35-0 vote, the New Jersey Senate just approved S2975, sweeping legislation to strengthen New Jersey's hate crimes and anti-school bullying laws. The full Assembly will vote on the bill, conceived by Garden State Equality and the New Jersey Anti-Defamation League, this Monday, January 7th. Earlier today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved the bill 5-0. The bill comes on the heels of a just-released FBI report that ranks New Jersey #2 in hate crimes nationally, behind only California. The prime Assembly sponsors are Wilfredo Caraballo, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Upendra Chivukula and John McKeon. The prime Senate sponsors are Barbara Buono and Loretta Weinberg.