Frankel, Costa reintroduce Hate Crimes and Victims’ Rights package of legislation
Rep. Dan B. Frankel April 10, 2025 | 5:07 PM
PITTSBURGH, April 10 – State Rep. Dan Frankel joined state Sen. Jay Costa today to announce the reintroduction of a package of bills meant to strengthen law enforcement’s response to hate crimes, improve tracking, advocate for victims and prevent future hate-based crimes.
This legislation is a direct response to the 2018 mass shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life building, during which a white supremacist murdered eleven worshippers in three Jewish congregations. To this day, this was the single deadliest act of antisemitic violence in American history. However, since then, the instance of hate crimes has only risen against racial minorities, religious groups, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
As noted in the Senate co-sponsorship memorandum, “According to the Pennsylvania State Policy Uniform Crime Reporting System, between 2020 and 2021, hate crime incidents in Pennsylvania more than doubled statewide. Between 2021 and 2023, the Department of Justice reports hate crimes almost doubled again in Pennsylvania. Worse, hate crimes are often misreported because of a lack of training or tracking.”
Already, Frankel and Costa have championed the creation and growth of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Signed into law in 2019, Act 83 directs PCCD to administer grants to nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication.
“I have been extremely proud to fight for legislation so that the people who call Pennsylvania home have safe communities, gathering spaces, and houses of worship,” said Costa. “Hate-based crimes shake our community to the core, endangering our sense of belonging, safety, and identity. I remember vividly the immediate aftermath of the Tree of Life massacre, and I want to thank everyone who has collaborated on real solutions to protecting members of marginalized communities and ensuring we can prevent hate-based crime throughout our commonwealth. I look forward to delivering safe neighborhoods where everyone can live, dress, gather, sing, worship, and join in fellowship.”
Last session, a similar package was passed out of the House of Representatives, but Republican leadership in the Senate declined to take up the legislation.
“No one should ever feel unsafe because of who they are, where they come from, or how they look, love, or pray,” said Frankel. “With this legislative package, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to stand up for our most vulnerable neighbors and recognize the deep harm hate crimes inflict—not just on individuals, but on entire communities.”
The House version of the Anti-Hate Crimes Package, which Representative Frankel introduced along with Representative Napoleon Nelson, is accessible here.