The U.S. House Judiciary Committee will vote on a controversial legislation as soon as April 20th that seeks to add homosexual and transgender people to the list of classes federally protected from hate crimes. It is expected that the bill will be passed by the committee and will come to a vote on the House floor this spring.

The new H.R. 1913, named the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Act of 2009 is camouflaged because it seemingly provides protection for hate crimes against race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or those with disabilities. But some suspect it will be primarily used to service one special group.

This bill is about making violent crimes of any kind, but especially against homosexuals, a federal crime as well as a local one. It begs the questions, "Is this really necessary? Do we need more legislation to protect a special group? Aren't current laws against violence sufficient to prosecute violent crimes? and aren't all violent crimes hate crimes?"

The answer is no according to openly gay Congressman Barney Frank who said in a press release, “I am proud to have participated in drafting a Hate Crimes Bill that is fully respectful of the rights of free speech and association, but also offers needed protection to those who are victims of physical crimes based on hatred.  The law already increases penalties for crimes motivated by hatred in several categories, so the absence of protection for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people is particularly egregious.  This bill remedies that gap in a responsible way, fully respectful of constitutional rights and I look forward to it being passed and signed by a President who is committed to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

All crimes against any individual should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law. But critics of the revived hate crimes legislation fear that if passed, the legislation would inhibit pastors from speaking about homosexuality as a biblical sin and be interpreted in a way that prohibits free religious speech against the homosexual lifestyle.

"One of the gravest threats to religious liberty and freedom of speech is the proposed hate crime legislation," said  Dr. Gary L. Cass president of Christian Anti Defamination Commission.

He continued, "We are on the verge of passing Federal hate crime laws that will be used to silence believers like in Canada, Europe and Australia. No more will your pastor be able to declare the truth about Islam or homosexuality because it will be considered a hate crime."

"Pastors and Christians have been jailed and fined for their faithful adherence to the Scriptures," Cass said.

In 2004, even though no violent crime was committed against gays, 11 Christians were prosecuted in Pennsylvania under the state’s hate crimes law shortly after “sexual orientation” was added as a victim category. According to reports, the ten adults and one teenager were singing hymns and carrying signs at a homosexual celebration in Philadelphia when they were arrested.

"The legislation only applies to violent crimes, and it does not infringe on free speech in any way," Barney Frank claims.

During the last Congress, identical legislation (H.R. 1592) passed the House with wide bipartisan support (237-180), but failed to garner sufficient support to come to a vote in the Senate. This time around it is expected that the bill will pass in both House and Senate and that President Obama who has expressed support for the hate crime legislation in the past will sign it.