Bill Text: CA SCR58 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Freedom of speech: hate speech.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-06-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 43, Statutes of 2010. [SCR58 Detail]

Download: California-2009-SCR58-Enrolled.html

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BILL NUMBER: SCR 58	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  SEPTEMBER 10, 2009
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 21, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Cedillo

                        SEPTEMBER 3, 2009

   Relative to hate speech.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 58, Cedillo. Freedom of speech: hate speech.
   This measure would condemn 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.



   WHEREAS, 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; and
   WHEREAS, 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; and
   WHEREAS, There has been an increase in hate speech in the media,
and in particular, hate speech on television, radio, cable, and on
the Internet; and
   WHEREAS, The increase of hate speech in the media, in addition to
lack of diversity in the media, media consolidation, and media
concentration, are having a profoundly negative impact on the civil
rights of Latinos and on society as a whole; and
   WHEREAS, Studies indicate that there is a correlation between hate
speech in the media and hate crimes against Latinos; and
   WHEREAS, Unsubstantiated, inflammatory, and inaccurate information
is disseminated and promoted in the public sphere about undocumented
immigrants and Latinos in general, causing an escalating
life-threatening movement against all Latinos; and
   WHEREAS, 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; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature condemns the increase of
hate speech in the media and demands accurate and fair reporting as
well as equal access to counter one-sided hate speech in the media,
and in particular, hate speech on television, radio, cable, and the
Internet; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.