Attorney General: Hate-Crime Legislation Would Give Illinois A Badly Needed Update

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says new state hate-crimes legislation passed last week by the Senate will provide a badly needed upgrade to the state’s civil rights protections.

Madigan said Tuesday on Illinois Public Media’s The 21st that the legislation would add online crimes based on religion, national origin, gender and sexual orientation to those that can be prosecuted as hate crimes.

She says the protections are needed because of the broad nature of hate crimes.

“While there might be an individual who was attacked, the intent of those crimes is to put fear into entire communities,” Madigan said.

Madigan has not talked to Gov. Bruce Rauner about whether he will sign the legislation into law. But she believes he is responsive to hate-crime victims.