Today (January 1999), 40 states — not including Wyoming— now have some form of hate crimes law .

• Some states, including Texas, aren't explicit about which groups are covered by their hate-crimes statutes.
• Of those that do specify, 20 states mention race, religion or ethnicity, 11 mention sexual orientation, 11 mention gender and 12 mention other categories, like mental or physical disability.
• Some states have penalties that vary with the severity of the crime -- in Wisconsin, for instance, a fine might be added to the penalty for a misdemeanor, while five years could be added to a felony sentence.

Critics say hate-crimes laws encourage groups to vie for protected status by emphasizing the degree of their victimization. Interestingly, Bill Dobbs, spokesman for a homosexual rights advocacy group, opposes hate-crimes legislation encompassing sexual orientation because it encourages resentment.

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