Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a U.S. law enacted in 2009 to strengthen hate crime protections. It expands federal authority to investigate and prosecute crimes motivated by bias against a person’s race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Named after Matthew Shepard, a gay student murdered in 1998, and James Byrd Jr., an African American man murdered in 1998, the law aims to deter violence against marginalized groups and ensure offenders are held accountable under federal law when local authorities cannot or will not act.