Georgia’s lieutenant governor is proposing his own version of a hate crimes law for the state.
Republican Geoff Duncan's proposal came Wednesday, after days of pressure by House lawmakers, business leaders and others. Duncan is calling on lawmakers to protect broad categories from bias crimes, including people victimized because of their culture and exercising First Amendment rights including worship, free speech, free press, assembly or petition of government. A previous state law was found unconstitutional more than a decade ago. The push for a new law intensified after the February slaying of Ahmaud Arbery near Brunswick.