Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) signed into law a pair of bills that strengthen hate crime laws, building on efforts to curb antisemitism in Virginia.
The legislation expands state statutes for hate crimes to include crimes committed against people because of their ethnic origin. Youngkin signed SB7 and HB18 into law on Tuesday and said they would protect people who are Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh, among other groups, from hate crimes.
“From day one, we have made combating antisemitism and religious bigotry a top priority. As one of my first executive orders, I formed the Commission to Combat Antisemitism, which issued a recommendation that Virginia revise its laws to ensure Jewish Virginians are protected from hate crimes, along with Muslims, Sikhs, and other ethnic and religious groups,” Youngkin said in a statement.
“As the first state to weave religious freedom into the fabric of our nation, Virginia is leading once again and sending a clear message that Virginians should not be the victim of a crime simply because of their religion, race, or ethnicity,” he added.
The pair of measures passed unanimously in the House of Delegates and the state Senate earlier this year after Youngkin called for a bill regarding hate crimes of “all forms of antisemitism, not just religious bigotry.”
“Hate has no place in our communities. As the grandson of Holocaust survivors and a Jew whose children have confronted antisemitism in our schools, this bill is personal for me,” Democratic Del. Dan Helmer said in a statement. “I’m grateful to the governor for signing this bipartisan legislation to protect people of every ethnicity across the commonwealth.”
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Virginia joins several other states that have worked to combat rising antisemitism after Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel in October sparked the war in Gaza.
In addition to the hate crime bills, Youngkin signed 98 other bills into law and vetoed four other pieces of legislation on Tuesday. With a Democratic-controlled state legislature, Youngkin has vetoed several bills, including gun control measures and legislation to establish a marijuana market in the commonwealth.
