It was Sine Die at the Gold Dome on Thursday and the day that Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta) introduced a hate crimes bill in the House.

Taylor announced at a rally in February he would introduce the bill following the beating of a gay man. Brandon White, in southwest Atlanta by gang members who repeatedly called him "faggot." A video of the beating went viral and made national headlines. Four men have been charged in the beating and a federal investigation continues to determine if the attack is a hate crime.

Taylor said today he was hoping to get Republican sponsors to sign on to the bill that includes sexual orientation and gender identity before introducing it, but because it was an election year several supportive Republicans wanted to wait until January to sign on. Georgia is one of five states that does not have its own hate crimes law.

LGBT inclusive hate crimes bill introduced on last day of Ga. legislative session

Taylor’s bill would allow judges to decide to apply stiffer penalties to those found guilty of committing a hate crime against people who are gay or perceived to be gay as well as transgender. The bill also includes race, gender, national origin and religion.

State Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) has introduced a hate crimes bill every year since the state’s hate crimes bill was deemed “unconstitutionally vague” in 2004 by the State Supreme Court.

Current co-sponsors of Taylor’s bill, all Democrats, are: Reps. Karla Drenner, Simone Bell and Keisha Waites, all who are both openly gay; Tyrone Brooks and Ralph Long.

“I wanted to get the conversation started of what to expect in January [when the General Assembly reconvenes],” Taylor said. “This bill is very similar to Sen. Fort’s except mine gives judicial discretion.

“In January, I’ll be able to reintroduce the bill and I’m also working on a separate bill that will be about training and data collecting. Hopefully in January I’ll have some strong co-sponsors,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s bill, HB 1311, states:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 10 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to procedure for sentencing and imposition of punishment, so as to repeal certain provisions regarding sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice, circumstances, and parole; to provide for enhanced sentences in any case in which the trier of fact determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or any property of the victim as the object of the offense because of the victim’s race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin; to provide for certain exceptions; to provide for applicability; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Sen. Fort’s bill, SB 228, was introduced March 4 and co-sponsored this session by Democrats Jason Carter, Emanuel Jones and Robert Brown.

It reads:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 10 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to procedure for sentencing and imposition of punishment, so as to repeal certain provisions regarding sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice, circumstances, and parole; to provide for sentencing of certain defendants guilty of crimes which target a victim due to the victim’s race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin, circumstances, and parole; to provide for certain exceptions; to provide for applicability; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.