Georgia Becomes First U.S. State to Introduce Bill Addressing Hinduphobia

The first state in the US to enact legislation formally acknowledging and combating anti-Hindu bigotry and Hinduphobia is Georgia. The proposed bill expands upon a state resolution from 2023 that denounced this kind of discrimination and recognized Hinduism's contributions to the world.

Georgia's penal code is to be amended by Senate Bill 375, which was introduced by Democratic Senators Jason Esteves and Emanuel D. Jones and Republican Senators Shawn Still and Clint Dixon. According to the bill, "Hinduphobia" is a "set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Hinduism." If passed, it would mandate that state and local law enforcement agencies take Hinduphobia into account when enforcing current laws against hate crimes and discrimination.

The bill is an extension of the work that began in April 2023 when Georgia passed a resolution condemning anti-Hindu bigotry and Hinduphobia. In addition, that resolution acknowledged Hinduism as one of the oldest religions in the world, practiced by over 1.2 billion people in more than 100 nations.

Hindu advocacy groups have praised the most recent legislative initiative. "Georgia becomes the first state to introduce such a bill, and if passed, will make history again," the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said in a statement. We are honored to collaborate closely with Senator Shawn Still on this significant bill, and we appreciate his support of the needs of the Georgia Hindu community, as well as that of Senators Emanuel Jones, Jason Esteves, and Clint Dixon.

Republican Representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones, who both represent Forsyth County, which is home to one of Georgia's largest concentrations of Hindu and Indian-American residents, spearheaded the previous resolution in 2023. Hindu community organizations and religious leaders overwhelmingly endorsed that resolution. It sought to condemn hate speech and acts of violence directed at Hindus in addition to acknowledging the cultural and social contributions made by the Hindu community.

The Pew Research Center's 2023-2024 Religious Landscape Study estimates that there are roughly 2.5 million Hindus in the US, making up 0.9% of the total population. More than 40,000 of those Hindus call Georgia home, with the majority residing in the Atlanta metropolitan area.