Legislative Matter

Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 081433

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Clerk's Official Copy

File Number: 081433

File Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted

Version: 0

Reference: R-564-08

Control: Board of County Commissioners

File Name: HATE CRIMES

Introduced: 5/6/2008

Requester: NONE

Cost:

Final Action: 5/6/2008

Agenda Date: 5/6/2008

Agenda Item Number: 14A3

Notes:

Title:

RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE VICTIMS OF HATE CRIMES AND PLEDGING THE SUPPORT OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP APPREHEND THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH ACTS

Indexes:

NONE

Sponsors:	Rebeca Sosa, Prime Sponsor
	Carlos A. Gimenez, Co-Sponsor
	Bruno A. Barreiro, Co-Sponsor
	Natacha Seijas, Co-Sponsor
	Dennis C. Moss, Co-Sponsor
	Barbara J. Jordan, Co-Sponsor
	Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision: No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail

County Attorney	5/6/2008		Assigned	Lee Kraftchick		5/6/2008

Board of County Commissioners	5/6/2008	14A3	Adopted				P
REPORT:	Commissioner Sosa suggested the Administration send a copy of this resolution to those entities that suffered the most, as an expression of the Board’s support for the community and zero tolerance for hate crimes against religions. Chairman Barreiro and Commissioners Moss, Jordan, Gimenez and Seijas asked to be added as co-sponsors to this resolution.

Legislative Text

TITLE
RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE VICTIMS OF HATE CRIMES AND PLEDGING THE SUPPORT OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP APPREHEND THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH ACTS

BODY
WHEREAS, the South Florida community has recently experienced heinous acts of violence directed at places of worship, including the desecration of a Jewish synagogue with swastikas and possible acts of arson against another Jewish synagogue; and
WHEREAS, such acts potentially violate the State's Hate Crimes law, Fla. Stat. � 775.085, which enhances penalties for crimes that evidence prejudice based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, mental or physical disability, or advanced age of the victim; and
WHEREAS, criminal acts based on religious hatred, as well as criminal acts motivated by race, national origin and other protected categories, are intolerable in this community and contrary to the longstanding policies of this Board; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade County Police Department is one of the law enforcement agencies in the State charged with responsibility for enforcing State criminal laws, including the Hate Crimes law; and
WHEREAS, this Board wishes to express its support for the victims of recent religious hate crimes and victims of other hate crimes,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board hereby expresses its sympathy and support for the victims of hate crimes and directs the Miami-Dade Police Department to continue to make every reasonable effort to apprehend the perpetrators of such crimes, in coordination with all other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.