Bill > S1721

This bill, the Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2019, aims to amend Title 18 of the United States Code to prohibit the use of the "gay panic" and "trans panic" defenses in federal criminal cases. These defenses seek to partially or completely excuse crimes such as murder and assault on the basis that the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity provoked the defendant's violent reaction. The bill finds these defenses to be outdated, prejudiced, and incompatible with federal laws that provide increased protections for bias-motivated crimes against LGBTQ individuals. The bill would prohibit the use of these defenses, while allowing the introduction of evidence of prior trauma to the defendant for the purpose of excusing or justifying their conduct or mitigating the severity of the offense. Additionally, the Attorney General would be required to submit annual reports on federal prosecutions of capital and non-capital crimes against LGBTQ individuals motivated by the victim's gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1721/all-info