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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A panel of lawmakers is approving a proposal to strengthen Utah's hate-crimes law, a key step forward for the idea long stuck in legislative gridlock.
The vote on Thursday comes after a groundswell of support that picked up speed following the November beating of a Latino man who authorities say was targeted because of his race.
Supporters say the legislation protects civil rights and sends an important message that violence targeting a particular group of people won't be tolerated. Opponents worry the measure goes too far in singling out certain groups for protections.
The legislation now goes to the full Senate, where it's expected to face a tight vote.
Utah's current hate-crime law doesn't protect specific groups and prosecutors have said it's essentially unusable.
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