State Assemblymember Haney highlights legislations to combat anti-Asian hate crime

(SAN FRANCISCO) Newly-elected State Assemblymember Matt Haney called for a press conference in Chinatown last week in response to the latest statewide hate crime data that anti-Asian hate incidents increased the most from 2020 to 2021 among all ethnic groups.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta released the 2021 Hate Crime in California Report on June 28. Anti-Asian hate crime increased 177.5% in a year from 2020 to 2021.

The press conference was held in front of a Stop AAPI Hate mural outside the Chinese Historical Society of America. Haney announced his legislative efforts to combat the anti-Asian hate crime by co-authoring two main bills sponsored by the Stop AAPI Hate coalition.

According to the latest Hate Crime Report, overall hate crimes reported in California increased 32.6% from 2020 to 2021. In 2020, 1,330 hate crime incidents were reported. It increased to 1,763 incidents in 2021.

Among all ethnic groups, Anti-Asian bias reports increased the most at 177.5% from 89 incidents in 2020 to 247 incidents in 2021.

Hate crime incidents which were motivated by a sexual orientation bias increased 47.8% from 205 in 2020 to 303 in 2021. The religious bias, anti-Jewish bias, related incidents increased 32.2% from 115 in 2020 to 152 in in 2021. Anti-Hispanic bias incidents increased 29.6% from 152 in 2020 to 197 in 2021. Anti-Black bias incidents increased 12.5% from 456 in 2020 to 513 in 2021.

“The California Department of Justice report only confirms what we’ve been hearing from API communities all over San Francisco,” said Haney in Chinatown. “And it’s not just violent hate crimes that are on the rise. For every crime that’s reported to the police, there are hundreds of incidents of hate based harassment and even violence that go unreported, often targeted at women and seniors.”

Two bills that Haney co-authored with other state lawmakers to combat anti-Asian hate are SB 1161 and AB 2448.

Public Transit Ridership Safety bill, SB 1161, was introduced by State Senator Dave Min, D-Orange County, to address the harassment on public transportation. SB 1161 would require the public transit agency staff to be trained on how to legally respond to incidents of harassment, including hate crimes that take place on streets, buses, and mass transit.

Expanding Civil Rights Protections at Businesses bill, AB 2448, was introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, to require large businesses to train their employees on how to protect, report, and respond to hate crimes for the safety of their customers.

“It’s going to take all of our workers, coming together to stop the rise in Asian hate crimes,” Haney said. “Every employee needs to be hyper aware and ready to take action the moment they see a member of this community being threatened or harassed. San Francisco has a duty to protect all its citizens.”

A group of Chinese American seniors attended the press conference to show their support for the Senior Escort program, in which Self-Help for the Elderly staff would provide escort services to the seniors to go shopping and medical appointments. The program was created in San Francisco in wake of the anti-Asian violence against Asian seniors in the midst of the pandemic. Seniors requested the state to provide funds and resources for the escort program.