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WATCH: Ohio Lawmaker to Introduce Hate Crimes Bill

WATCH: Ohio Lawmaker to Introduce Hate Crimes Bill

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Ohio is one of just 14 states without anti-hate crime legislation. State Rep. Nickie Antonio wants to change that.

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When an openly gay man was brutally beaten outside a Cleveland gay bar last month, police believed the assault qualified as a hate crime. But they couldn't charge the assailants with a bias-related assault, because Ohio doesn't have a law specifying elevated punishments for crimes intended to intimidate an entire segment of the community.

But one state lawmaker plans to change all that.

Rep. Nickie Antonio, a Democrat representing Lakewood, Ohio, told Cleveland's WJW that she plans to introduce legislation that would make it a hate crime to target or assault someone based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

"I think it's especially important that we raise our consciousness this year, because in 2014, as many people are aware, the Gay Games are coming to Northeast Ohio, and we want to be an open, welcoming, and safe place for people who are going to be coming from all over the world," Antonio said.

WJW notes that in 2011, the FBI reported 228 bias-based crimes in Ohio. Roughly a quarter of those hate crimes were against people perceived as gay or transgender.

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Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.
Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.