STATEHOUSE (Feb. 27, 2017) – “I have made the decision not to move Senate Bill 439 forward this session. This bill sought to give judges the ability to increase penalties for bias-motivated crimes. However, after discussions with my colleagues, it has become apparent that there is a difference of opinion on various potential amendments to the bill, making it difficult to find consensus on a path forward. While I have made the decision not to move the bill this year, I will continue working on this issue in the coming months with the hopes of possibly bringing it back during next year’s legislative session.”
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