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Dear Editor:
The Noblesville Diversity Coalition is disappointed that our elected representatives, Senator Victoria Spartz and Representative Chuck Goodrich, sided with their colleagues rather than their constituents when it comes to bias crime legislation. We ask them to reconsider their positions and encourage the conference committee to restore the list of protections for all Hoosiers.
NDC is part of a wide-ranging coalition across Central Indiana consisting of citizens, businesses, faith groups, educational institutions, service organizations and cities and towns that are advocating for a comprehensive bias crime bill that would protect all Hoosiers.
Unfortunately, the bills approved by the Senate and House lack an enumerated list of protected characteristics. Every single Hoosier is covered when the list specifically includes race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation – as the Senate Public Policy committee had approved in February.
Rather than include this list, Senate Bill 198 references a section of Indiana Code as its solution to who will be protected from hate crime – with no mention of age, gender or gender identity. But similar language used in legislation passed by other states has proven to be too vague in order to be effective.
We can all agree that the problem of hate is very real for communities such as Noblesville. Our citizens have experienced hate first hand. Meanwhile, the business community is justifiably concerned that without an effective bias-crime law, Indiana will struggle to recruit young professionals while companies that offer high-wage, high-tech jobs will likely go elsewhere.
What we cannot agree on is how to ensure protections are inclusive. The bill as passed by the Senate and House will fail to address our concerns without a list of these specific characteristics that are inclusive and Constitutional, give judges the specificity and clarity they need so the law and sentencing are consistently applied throughout the state.
We are calling on members of the Indiana General Assembly to restore the list of protections in a comprehensive bias crime bill during conference committee. We cannot move forward as a state if we support a bill that falls short on providing equal protection to ALL our citizens.
The time is now to get this done before Indiana falls further behind the rest of the nation.
Sincerely,
Noblesville Diversity Coalition
Connie Blanford, Noblesville Citizen
Steve Cooke, Deputy Mayor, City of Noblesville
Laura Denis, Director of Student Services, Noblesville Schools
Rev. Teri L. Ditslear, ECLA, Roots of Life Community
Bob DuBois, President, Noblesville Chamber
Pete Freeman, Noblesville Citizen
Bryan Glover, Co-owner, Mr. G’s Liquors
Jennifer Harris, Noblesville Citizen
Rev. Aaron Hobbs, Pastor, Noblesville First United Methodist Church
Brandi C. Holmes, Noblesville Citizen
La Vella Hyter, Noblesville Citizen
Wendy Nelson, Noblesville Citizen
Dr. Beth Niedermeyer, Superintendent, Noblesville Schools
Rev. Patrick Propst, Senior Pastor, Faith Community Church
Lisa Sobek, Noblesville Citizen
Luis Sorto, Noblesville Citizen
Kim Sweet, Noblesville Citizen
Dwayne Thompson, Noblesville Citizen
Dr. Jennifer Townsend, Director of Learning, Noblesville Schools
Tamara Winfrey-Harris, Hamilton County Community Foundation