KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council signed off on a ordinance Thursday aimed at protecting victims from hate crimes.
Four KCMO council members — Crispin Rea, Eric Bunch, Jonathan Duncan and Lindsey French — co-sponsored Ordinance 231032.
The ordinance enhances municipal offenses that are motivated by bias against race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of a victim.
If a city prosecutor is able to prove that a crime was motivated by bias, a judge can sentence an offender up to an additional 60 days, which would run consecutively.
KCMO council members worked with KCMO's LGBTQ+ Commission, the city's prosecutor office and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department to develop the ordinance.
In 2023, KCPD reported 32 victims from 27 separate incidents of hate crimes, according to the city.
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