LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the New York State Congressional deleg-
ation to provide for the establishment of a national hate crime hotline
and a hate crime information and assistance website

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to urge the New York
State Congressional delegation to provide for the establishment of a
national hate crime hotline and a hate crime information and assistance
website; and
WHEREAS, A hate crime is a crime that is committed against a person
because of prejudice or bias; victims of hate crimes are singled out
simply because of their perceived race, color, religion, national
origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orien-
tation, family responsibility, physical handicap, matriculation, or
political affiliation; and
WHEREAS, Unlike other crimes that target individuals, bias-related
acts have a tremendous effect on an entire community; when one person is
targeted because of race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation,
or other characteristic, others in the community who were not the direct
targets of the hate crime may also feel at risk; tensions between
different communities can also arise as a result of a hate crime; and
WHEREAS, The hate crime information and assistance website shall
provide accurate information that describes the services available to
victims of hate crimes, including healthcare and mental health services,
social services, transportation, services for children and other rele-
vant services; and
WHEREAS, In establishing and operating the hotline, the entity shall:
contract with a carrier for the use of a toll-free telephone line;
employ, train, and supervise personnel to answer incoming calls and
provide counseling and referral services to callers on a 24-hour-a-day
basis; assemble and maintain a current database of information relating
to services for victims of hate crimes to which callers throughout the
United States may be referred; and publicize the national hate crime
hotline to potential users throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, In addition, hotline personnel should also demonstrate a
commitment to diversity, and to the provision of services to ethnic,
racial, and non-English speaking minorities, as well as to older indi-
viduals and individuals with disabilities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the New York State Congressional delegation be and
hereby is respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to provide
for the establishment of a national hate crime hotline and a hate crime
information and assistance website; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to each member of the Congressional delegation from the State of
New York.