ATTACKS ON HOMELESS ATTACKS ON HOMELESS Maryland became the first state Thursday to cover homeless people in its hate crimes law. Under the law, signed by Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, an attack can result in a harsher penalty if evidence shows the attacker acted because the victim was homeless. The Maryland law also covers race, religious belief, national origin, disability, gender and sexual orientation. "This is a very symbolic and practical step in addressing violence against homeless people," says Michael Stoops of the National Coalition for the Homeless. Similar bills are being considered in Washington, D.C., and California. A few states have passed related measures. In 2006, Maine allowed judges to impose harsher sentences for crimes against the homeless. Last year, Alaska added them to its vulnerable-victims law, which allows for increased penalties. The FBI tracks hate crimes, but because the homeless are not a protected class, it has no figures for attacks on them. Stoops' group began tracking crimes against the homeless a decade ago. Using police interviews and news reports, it documented a rising trend, from 60 attacks in 1999 to 160 in 2007; 217 of the 774 total incidents were fatal. One death occurred on Valentine's Day last year, when a homeless man was beaten to death while sleeping in an alley in Frederick, Md. "They are vulnerable. … They're easy targets," says Maryland Sen. Alex Mooney, the bill's sponsor. A conservative Republican, he opposed an earlier bill to add sexual orientation as a protected class. He says he became convinced that the homeless should be covered after seeing video of "punk kids taking baseball bats" to homeless people in Florida. "It was pretty gruesome." David Friedman of the Anti-Defamation League, a group that fights prejudice against Jews, says the homeless need help but don't belong as a protected class because hate crime laws are based on "immutable" characteristics such as race or ethnicity, not temporary status such as homelessness. Congress is considering a bill that would add gender, disability and sexual orientation, but not homelessness, to the federal hate crimes law. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, plans to reintroduce legislation that would add the homeless as a protected class if attacked on federal property. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more