News Item

Connecticut Votes Transgender Hate Crime Coverage Out of Committee

March 29, 2004

The joint Senate and House Judiciary Committee in the state of Connecticut has voted favorably and sent a bill to the full legislature tthat would add "disability or gender identity or expression" to the existing statute against Hate Crimes. The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) has endorsed, and is fully supporting passage of this important legislation.

Transgender people and the disabled would be extended protections by the state's hate-crimes law by the proposal approved last Monday by the legislature's judiciary committee. If approved by the House and Senate, Connecticut will join seven other states that protect transgender people in their hate-crimes laws, supporters said.

"Six months ago Connecticut's Governor issued a landmark Pride Day Proclamation that included and recognized the Transgender and Intersex communities," said Jerimarie Liesegang, Director of the Connecticut Trans Advocacy Coalition (CTAC). "We have worked hard over the last few years educating both legislators and the public on the importance of including Gender Identity or Expression," added Liesegang, a former board member of NTAC.

The proposal to expand the hate crimes bill was initially introduced last year, but did not come to a vote in the committee. This year's successful committee vote was 39-2. Committee Co-Chairman, Sen. Andrew J. McDonald (D-Stamford), commented that the testimony of several transgender people who targeted because of their status influenced legislators.

"It makes you realize that bitterness and hatred is [sic] still present in our society and we needed to respond to it," McDonald said.

Connecticut passed a hate crimes law based upon race, sexual orientation or gender back in 1987. Thirty states have such laws and about half of them include the disabled. In 1990 Connecticut adopted a law that increased the penalties for certain offenses if a victim was assaulted or harassed because of race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

In supporting the proposal, Sen. John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, initially admitted he thought "that battle has been fought long ago," and that the issue didn't need revisiting. Since then, the principle has been established that people who are victims of a disproportionate number of attacks or who are vulnerable deserve added protection, he said.

Rep. T.R. Rowe, R-Trumbull, said he voted against the change because the state should never have adopted a hate-crimes bill, but relied on existing assault laws.

Liesegang called the committee vote a "landmark decision," She was quick to add that "we still have our work cut out for us to assure passage in the full House and Senate, though we have successfully accomplished the first half of a critically important step for Trans protection and recognition here in Connecticut!"