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H.R. 2416: Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2021

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H.R. 2416: Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-04-08 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-04-08 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2021

Plain summary

Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2021 This bill lowers the statutory burden of proof for showing intent with respect to a federal hate crime offense. Current law makes it unlawful to willfully cause bodily injury, or attempt to do so using a dangerous weapon, because of the actual or perceived protected characteristic (e.g., race) of a person. In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held that the because of standard requires proof that a person's actual or perceived protected characteristic was the sole motivating factor in the offense. This bill replaces the because of standard with a new standard. Specifically, willfully causing bodily injury, or attempting to do so using a dangerous weapon, is a hate crime offense if a person's actual or perceived protected characteristic was a contributory motivating factor in the offense.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] · 27 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Lucy McBath (D-GA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Judy Chu (D-CA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Grace Meng (D-NY), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-hr2416 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117