"The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act / Matthew Shepard Act H.R. 1592 / S. 1105
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act / Matthew Shepard Act gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence by providing the department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

The LLEHCPA / Matthew Shepard Act provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. The LLEHCPA also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias-motivated crimes."


"According to 2004 FBI statistics, hate crimes based on sexual orientation constituted the third highest category reported and made up 15.5 percent of all reported hate crimes. Only race-based and religion-based prejudice crimes were more prevalent than hate crimes based on sexual orientation."

FBI's 2006 statistics on Hate Crime and why they're committed.


*Both passages in quotations, I took directly from the HRC site.


What does all this say? 
The top 3 hate crimes in the US are ethnicity-based, religion-based, and sexual orientation-based.

The Matthew Shepard Act in conjunction with the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will enable the Justice System and police to better investigate and prosecute violent crimes committed because of bias/prejudice.

The HRC is working to help pass this law.
Here is the link to where it talks about the Act.
Here is the link to donate. (I am ever hopeful)
Here is the link to take action.
Here is the link to volunteer.

See you in another 30 minutes and thank you for your time,
~Shirhys ^^