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S 728 117th Congress Senate Crime and Law Enforcement Cardiovascular and respiratory health Crime prevention Crime victims Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Criminal justice information and records Department of Justice Disability and health-based discrimination Emergency medical services and trauma care Executive agency funding and structure Federal officials Foreign language and bilingual programs Hate crimes Infectious and parasitic diseases Racial and ethnic relations Religion Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination State and local government operations

COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Introduced: March 11, 2021 Introduced by: Hirono, Mazie K. Democratic · Hawaii See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 11, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 11, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hate crimes and reports of COVID-19 hate crimes.

It defines COVID-19 hate crime as a violent crime that is motivated by two things: (1) the actual or perceived characteristic (e.g., race or ethnicity) of any person, and (2) the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID-19 of any person because of that characteristic.

The bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies on how to establish online hate crime reporting processes in multiple languages and how to expand culturally competent education campaigns. Additionally, DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must issue guidance on best practices for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.

What's happening now March 11, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • S 937 Related bill COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
  • S 963 Related bill Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2021
  • HR 1843 Related bill COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 13
All 13 Democratic 13
D
Blumenthal, Richard
Connecticut · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Booker, Cory A.
New Jersey · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Cantwell, Maria
Washington · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Duckworth, Tammy
Illinois · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Durbin, Richard J.
Illinois · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Kaine, Tim
Virginia · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Klobuchar, Amy
Minnesota · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Murray, Patty
Washington · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Padilla, Alex
California · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Rosen, Jacky
Nevada · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · Mar 11, 2021
 D
Warner, Mark R.
Virginia · Mar 11, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 728: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-728/
MLA
"S. 728: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-728/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 728, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-728/.
Markdown link
[S. 728: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-728/)
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