Bill > AB1535

This bill, known as the Hortman-Kirk Political Violence Prevention Act, expands the definition of a hate crime to include acts motivated by a victim's actual or perceived political affiliation, which is defined as belonging to a political party, endorsing a party or politician's platform, or endorsing a politician. This means that committing a felony because of someone's political views can now be considered a hate crime, similar to crimes motivated by race, religion, or sexual orientation. Furthermore, when sentencing for any felony conviction, courts can consider the defendant's conduct being motivated by the victim's political affiliation as a factor that increases the severity of the crime, potentially leading to harsher penalties. The bill also clarifies that the state is not required to reimburse local governments for any costs associated with this change, as it involves defining or penalizing crimes.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1535