BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SCR 58|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: SCR 58
Author: Cedillo (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE OR FILE
SUBJECT : Freedom of speech: hate speech
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution condemns the increase of hate
speech in the media, particularly against Latinos, and urge
for accurate and fair reporting to counter hate speech on
television, radio, cable, and the Internet.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following
legislative findings:
1.The media plays a critical role in how the United States
Latino community is portrayed, including how Latinos are
presented and portrayed to Latino children and to the
broader society.
2.Hate speech has been defined as speech which threatens
imminent unlawful action, but also, as speech which
creates a climate of hate and prejudice, which in turn
may foster the commission of hate crimes.
3.There has been an increase in hate speech in the media,
CONTINUED
SCR 58
Page
2
and in particular, hate speech on television, radio,
cable, and on the Internet.
4.Studies indicate that there is a correlation between hate
speech in the media and hate crimes against Latinos.
5.A recently released FBI report documents that Hispanics
comprise 62.8 percent of victims of crimes motivated by a
bias toward the victims' ethnicity or national origin, an
increase of 35 percent from 2003 to 2006. During that
same period, more than 300 anti-immigration groups
formed, with half labeled as "nativist extremists."
Moreover, the violence is directed at all Latinos,
whether undocumented or not, because of the
indistinguishable characteristics of Latino subgroups.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
JA:nl 9/9/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
**** END ****