COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 11, 2021

COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hate crimes and reports of COVID-19 hate crimes.

It defines COVID-19 hate crime as a violent crime that is motivated by two things: (1) the actual or perceived characteristic (e.g., race or ethnicity) of any person, and (2) the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID-19 of any person because of that characteristic.

The bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies on how to establish online hate crime reporting processes in multiple languages and how to expand culturally competent education campaigns. Additionally, DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must issue guidance on best practices for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D–HI

Committees

Judiciary Committee

15 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Mar 11, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 11, 2021
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Mar 11, 2021 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Discuss S.728, 117th Congress: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/728

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-03-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s728/BILLS-117s728is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

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Analyze S.728 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Examine S.728 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.728, 117th Congress: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/728

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-03-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s728/BILLS-117s728is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

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Discuss S.728, 117th Congress: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/728

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-03-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s728/BILLS-117s728is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

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Discuss S.728, 117th Congress: COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/728

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-03-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s728/BILLS-117s728is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:51:27Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.728 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.