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2003 General Session
SF 99 was the tenth bill in the past nine years that attempted to increase penalties for crimes that are committed due to bias or prejudice. It met the same fate (failure) as did each of its predecessors.
SF 99 increased the penalty for a misdemeanor crime that was committed by an offender who intentionally selected the victim or property because of the race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry of the victim, property-owner or occupant.
Under such circumstances, the penalty for the crime would be doubled, including both fines and jail time.
Proponents supported SF 99 as a way to show that Wyoming will not tolerate attacks on its citizens that are motivated by prejudice.
Opponents believed that existing penalties for misdemeanor crimes are adequate and shouldn't be increased. Some opponents interpreted SF 99 as sanctioning homosexuality, or opposed the idea of special treatment for certain groups of citizens.
SF 99 was introduced in the Senate and assigned to the Senate Rules and Procedures Committee, where it died.