Atlanta (June 15, 2020) – Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP is taking a stand in favor of bipartisan legislation to enact a law making hate crimes illegal in Georgia. The firm officially added its support to an effort – also backed by other leading employers – to support a new Hate Crime law.
“Only a few states, including Georgia, have no Hate Crime law,” said MMM Managing Partner Simon Malko. “This is the time to step up and encourage the Georgia General Assembly to do the right thing.”
Ga. House Bill 426 would impose criminal penalties for bias-related crimes include acts of racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and other forms of bigotry. The goal of showing public support is to encourage passage by the State Senate Judiciary Committee and both houses so the governor can sign it into law. Supporters believe that hate crimes demand a unique response because of their unique emotional and psychological impact on the victim and the victim's community.
A letter signed by Malko and leaders of almost 200 other businesses states:
Georgia is annually hailed as one of the “Best places to do business,” and in order to maintain that reputation, and encourage prospective companies to locate here and workers to live here, we must also be in the business of advancing policies that support the positive change and social impact our communities need in order to build a more just and inclusive world.…
As the General Assembly goes back into session, we write to urge you to support, approve and sign into law a comprehensive, specific and clear bill against hate crimes. We must all stand strong and united against targeted violence and bigotry. Diversity extends to a wide range of issues from race and ethnicity, to gender, sexual orientation, religion and physical ability, among other important characteristics that make each of us different but also deserving of protection from any attack that is motivated by hatred for the victim due to bias or prejudice.
For more information, or to add your company to the team supporting the legislation, visit www.passhatecrimesga.com
About Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP
Morris, Manning & Martin (www.mmmlaw.com) is an Am Law 200 law firm with national and international reach. We dedicate ourselves to the constant pursuit of our clients’ success. To provide our clients with optimal value, we combine market-leading legal services with a total understanding of their needs to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and opportunity. MMM enjoys national prominence for its real estate, corporate, litigation, technology, healthcare, intellectual property, cybersecurity and privacy, capital markets, environmental, international trade, and insurance practices. MMM has offices in and around Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Savannah and Washington, D.C.
Media Contact for MMM: Terri Thornton, (404) 932-4347, Terri@TerriThornton.com
