1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

Please pass HB1311 when it comes up for vote. The “LGBTQ+ panic” defense theory allows for perpetrators of criminal actions against Pennsylvanian’s LGBTQ+ community to receive a lesser sentence and, in some cases, even avoid being convicted or punished by placing the blame for their actions on a victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. Members of the LGBTQ+ community continue to face an unprecedented rise in hate crimes each year. According to FBI Hate Crime statistics, incidents targeting the LGBTQ+ community increased steadily each year for the last five years. I hope we can all agree that hate crimes are NEVER acceptable. A victim of violence should not feel that their justice system will not protect them because of a loophole that targets their very existence. It is long past time for Pennsylvania to join the growing list of states that protect their LGBTQ+ citizens by allowing them the same right to justice as everyone else if they find themselves the victims of a violent crime.