What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2025 This bill lowers the standard for establishing that a defendant's conduct constitutes a federal hate crime offense. Currently, federal law prohibits willfully causing bodily injury or using a dangerous weapon to attempt to do so because of the actual or perceived protected characteristic (e.g., race or religion) of any person. In a prosecution for a hate crime offense, the government must establish that the defendant committed prohibited conduct because of a specific protected characteristic. The phrase because of is not defined. However, since 2014, courts have generally held that because of relates to causation and requires the government to establish but-for causation. For example, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held in United States v. Miller that in a prosecution for a hate crime offense, the phrase because of required the government to establish that but for the religion of the victims, the defendants would not have committed the assaults. This bill replaces the because of standard, which relates to causation, with a new standard related to motive. Under the new standard, willfully causing bodily injury or using a dangerous weapon to attempt to do so is a hate crime offense if the actual or perceived protected characteristic of any person is a contributory motivating factor in the offense.
Action Timeline
2025-06-26
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
2025-06-26
Introduced in House
2025-06-26
Introduced in House
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.4187 pass?
HR.4187 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does HR.4187 do?
Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2025 This bill lowers the standard for establishing that a defendant's conduct constitutes a federal hate crime offense. Currently, federal law prohibits willfully causing bodily injury or using a dangerous weapon to attempt to do so because of the actual or perceived protected characteristic (e.g., race or religion) of any person. In a prosecution for a hate crime offense, the government must establish that the defendant committed prohibited conduct because of a specific protected characteristic. The phrase because of is not defined. However, since 2014, courts have ge…
Who sponsored HR.4187?
HR.4187 was sponsored by Ted Lieu (D-California).
Full Bill Text
119 HR 4187 IH: Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives 2025-06-26 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4187 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 26, 2025 Mr. Lieu (for himself, Mrs. McBath , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mr. Panetta , Ms. Norton , Mr. Krishnamoorthi , and Ms. Velázquez ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the causation element in the Federal hate crime statute, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2025 . 2. Clarification as to causation element in hate crimes Section 249(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)— (A) by striking because of and inserting if ; and (B) by inserting after origin of any person the following: was a contributory motivating factor for causing or attempting to cause such injury ; and (2) in paragraph (2)(A), in the matter preceding clause (i)— (A) by striking because of and inserting if ; and (B) by inserting after disability of any person the following: was a contributory motivating factor for causing or attempting to cause such injury .
Loading intelligence layer…