Indianapolis - The Indiana House of Representatives has defeated an amendment to SB 45 by a vote of 46 to 50 that would have revived hate crimes legislation this session. Rep. Greg Porter (D-Indianapolis) proposed the language amendment on Monday, April 9.

An attempt last month to pass Hate Crimes legislation died in the House when Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Lakeville) filed a second reading amendment to HB 1459 that would have added the phrase "or because the individual was a viable fetus" to the bias list. The amendment would also have created a Class C felony if harm was done by an individual to another that was selected for harm "because the individual was a viable fetus."

According to the most recent data collected by the Federal Bureau of investigation, racial bias accounts for 53 percent of all hate crimes. Approximately 18 percent are based on religious bias, 15 percent on sexual orientation, 13 percent on ethnicity/national origin, and one percent on disability.

A list of legislators who voted against the Hate Crimes amendment on April 9 can be found on Advance Indiana.