Hate law expansion sought to make prosecutions easier

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XP: Civil Liberties

Advocates set to push changes through Legislature

BY CHRIS CHRISTOFF • FREE PRESS LANSING BUREAU CHIEF • July 24, 2008

LANSING -- Michigan's hate crime law would expand to include intimidation of gays and lesbians and people with disabilities, and would make hanging a noose or burning a cross specific property crimes, under changes urged by civil rights groups, legislators and law enforcement officials Wednesday.

Those changes will be on a fast track in the House beginning in August, said Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He said Wednesday that he would introduce a bill to strengthen the state's ethnic intimidation law.

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