Senate Files Hate Crimes Bill Up for Potential Vote this Week.

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Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) filed the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 1105) as an amendment for consideration to the Department of Defense Reauthorization currently being debated before the U.S. Senate. The bill, commonly referred to as the "Hate Crimes Bill", could receive a Senate vote as early as this week. The virtually identical House version of the bill passed overwhelmingly on May 3 with a bipartisan vote of 237 to 180 - with more than 20 Republicans voting in support of the bill. For more information see SCEC's Web site at http://www.scequality.org.