Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law today a bill that will prevent a defendant from using so-called panic defenses upon discovering a victim’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

House Bill 1687 has been named “The Nikki Kuhnhausen Act” following last year’s killing of Vancouver transgender teen Nikki Kuhnhausen.

The bill would block a defendant from using a defense based on discovery or disclosure of the victim’s actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation. The bill would prevent a claim of “diminished capacity” because the defendant did not fully comprehend the nature and gravity of the alleged crime.

Kuhnhausen, 17, disappeared in early June. Her remains were discovered Dec. 7 after a human skull was found in the woods at Larch Mountain, southeast of Battle Ground.

David Y. Bogdanov of Vancouver has been charged with second-degree murder and malicious harassment, which is a hate crime in Washington. Authorities allege Bogdanov strangled the Vancouver teenager after learning she was transgender.