In a bi-partisan effort, House Bill 426 will mandate enhanced sentencing for defendants convicted of targeting a victim because of their “actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability.”
The bill had been previously stalled in Georgia’s legislature, but gained renewed support after the killing of Ahmaud Arbery by Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael on February 23.
The bill was passed the day after the funeral of Rayshard Brooks who was shot by an Atlanta police officer, Garrett Rolfe on June 12.
Republicans still pushed for the creation of House Bill 838 which would create a “bill of rights” for officers under investigation and would add additional penalties for people convicted of targeting a firefighter, police officer, or paramedic specifically because of their profession.
Georgia governor, Brian Kemp, issued a statement saying he “commends the General Assembly’s bipartisan work and will sign House Bill 426 pending legal review.”