§ 23-2. Purpose of subtitle.

(a) Increase in hate crimes.

(1) The Baltimore City Police Department keeps records on incidents of criminal acts directed against individuals or groups because of the victim's race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or national origin. These records show a particular increase in criminal acts directed against those who practice or espouse homosexuality.

(2) Investigations of incidents of vandalism, harassment, threats, physical harm, and the probable murder of homosexuals have increased dramatically in the past 5 years. The national media report a remarkable increase in crimes committed against homosexuals and, in particular, the grisly murder in October 1998 of a gay college student in Wyoming.

(b) Expanded coverage required.

(1) Article 27, § 470A of the Maryland Code, under the subtitle "Religious and Ethnic Crimes", commonly described as the "hate crimes law", prohibits a person from damaging the property of or committing crimes against a person because of that person's race, color, religious beliefs, or national origin. That law does not include sexual orientation as a protected class.

(2) This subtitle adopts the State's "Religious and Ethnic Crimes" subtitle and adds sexual orientation as a protected class of people who will benefit from the "hate crimes law".