title:  Dem Senator Introduces Bill Banning Hate Crime Offenders From Purchasing Guns
text: In response to the horrific Orlando shootings (which is simultaneously being labeled terrorist attack and a hate crime), Democratic Senator Bob Casey on Monday introduced legislation banning any American convicted of a hate crime from legally purchasing a gun.Titled the  Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the bill ties together existing legislation regarding what falls under the scope of a hate crime  a misdemeanor  motivated in part by hate or bias related to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability,  and which misdemeanor makes up a hate crime. These misdemeanors include low-level assaults, threats, harassment and property damage.In a statement released on his website, Casey described his bill as  common sense,  saying:If you have proven you will commit criminal acts based on hate, you absolutely should not have access to a gun. It s common sense. It is time we as members of Congress do something. If you are a member of Congress and you say you care about security then you have to take steps to keep guns out of the wrong hands and ensure our law enforcement has the resources needed to keep communities safe.Casey s office also reminded the public that, according to National Crime Victimization Survey data, about 259,000 hate crimes happen each year in the United States, and that between the years of 2010 and 2014 alone, more than 43,000 hate crimes were committed with a firearm.These are the people who should not have access to guns, period.The same bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in February by Democrat David Cicilline of Rhode Island. It is currently being held up in committee, and GovTrack gives the bill less than a 2 percent chance of being enacted. A simple bill, like Casey s, would prevent the sale, disposition, possession, shipment or transportation of a firearm based on an  enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence. Let s sit back and see how Republicans try to worm their way out of this no-brainer piece of legislation. They did it with background checks at gun shows and stopping terrorists from getting guns, so who knows how they ll respond to this one.Featured image via Alex Wong/Getty Images