Senate Bill No. 261 Summary

• Requires law enforcement officers to receive mandatory training by December 31, 2016, in identifying, responding to, and reporting bias-motivated crimes based on actual or perceived race, color, creed, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity.

• Allows victims of bias-motivated crimes or property damage to bring civil actions against offenders to recover actual, compensatory, consequential, and punitive damages, plus attorney's fees and costs of action.

• Establishes parental liability for minors who commit bias-motivated crimes if the parent or guardian has custody and the child is living with them.

• Creates enhanced criminal sentencing provisions allowing courts to impose an additional fixed prison term of up to 5 years for individuals convicted of crimes motivated by bias against protected characteristics.

• Effective date is July 1, 2016, with law enforcement training standards required to be adopted by December 31, 2016.