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June 24 - Amber Royster Of EQNM Says Hate Crime Laws Lack Teeth, And Also Miss The Point

A report published by the Associated Press just over a week before the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting stated that more than 2,700 police and sheriff’s departments nationwide have failed to submit hate crime reports to federal officials between 2009 and 2014. That number includes 45% of all New Mexico police and sheriff’s departments.

Hate crime legislation has been on the books in New Mexico since 2003, in the form of an additional penalty at sentencing of up to a year in prison, if prosecutors can present convincing evidence that a crime was motivated by hate.

I talked to Amber Royster, executive director of the LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality New Mexico, about the issue of hate crimes, particularly those committed against LGBTQ people. I asked Amber if she believes hate crimes are taken seriously by law enforcement in our state.