A measure inspired by a noose hanging in the capital city last summer is moving forward in the state Legislature.
A House criminal law committee Friday approved without opposition House Bill 5835 to make it a crime to use a hate symbol to intimidate or harass someone. The measure now heads to the full House.
Rep. Esther Golar, D-Chicago, said the idea was based on two incidents in Springfield – the hanging of a noose at the City Water, Light and Power offices during the summer and the discovery of racial graffiti on the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus office building.
The person would be charged under the measure if they intend to intimidate a person based on their “religion, national origin, alienage, color, race, sex, sexual orientation, physical disability, or mental disability” by displaying a noose, drawing a Nazi swastika or burn a cross on public or private property.
“This is not going to go away until and unless we have a law in place,” said Jonathan Lackland, executive director of the Illinois Association of Minorities in Government.
A first offense would be a Class 3 felony, while subsequent offenses would be a Class 2 felony. Both could draw serious prison time and fines.
Read the original article from the Galesburg Register-Mail.
