Charlie Kirk’s murder prompts new hate crime bill

Republican California Assemblywoman Laurie Davies introduced a bill to add political affiliation to the state’s hate crime classifications, telling the Daily Caller News Foundation she aims to “lower the political temperature.”

Political violence against high-profile figures has increased recently, notably hitting a new high in 2024 when President Donald Trump endured two assassination attempts during his campaign. Escalating further with the tragic murders of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk and Democratic Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband in 2025, Davies introduced Assembly Bill 1535 on Jan. 5.

AB 1535, also called the Hortman-Kirk Political Violence Prevention Act, was inspired by a handful of political attacks that have occurred since 2022, notably honoring Hortman and Kirk in the legislation’s name. When reviewing the impact she wanted to make on the 2026 legislative year, Davies told the DCNF that she wanted to help bring down tensions between the two sides.

“I just want people to realize there was a time when agreeing to disagree with people and their political beliefs or religion or whatever it may be was okay. And we need to bring that back and stop pointing fingers at [each other], and make sure that we have the facts,” Davies said. “So when it came time for us looking at legislation this year, I really wanted to do something.”

“That’s why I thought we’ve got to lower the political temperature and we have to have strict penalties for the political violence acts, you know, as more of like a cooling agent. So it sets like clear boundaries that while of course policy debates encourage targeting individuals with physical harm for their beliefs or elected position, it’s a high state criminal offense,” Davies added.

News of Hortman and her husband’s death broke in June 2025 after they were shot and killed in their home overnight in a targeted political assassination attack. Democratic Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and severely wounded in their home the same night.

Quickly after the attack, officials captured 57-year-old Vance Boelter, with Minnesota’s attorney’s office indicting him a month later on six federal charges.

Just months later in September 2025, Kirk was murdered while at a speaking event at Utah Valley University. The TPUSA founder was at the first stop of his new college tour. Videos before the tragic incident showed the campus area packed with students and others waiting to speak or see Kirk speak to others.

However, shortly into the event, a gunshot rang out, with Kirk hit and later confirmed to have died after being rushed to the hospital. After a lengthy man hunt, Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested and charged for the alleged murder of Kirk.

“Sadly, in the last 10 years or so, you can see where neighbors are like, ‘I don’t want to put up a campaign sign’ for fear that either, ‘My house is going to be vandalized, or it could even be taken physically out on me.’ And that’s not okay. We have the right, especially when we’re doing elections, and we have the right to air our beliefs and who we stand for,” Davies told the DCNF.

“But when it gets to the physical point and to the point that where people are afraid to even say anything, that’s when, again, we have to stand up,” Davies continued. “I think, again, making sure that people are aware of what’s happening. Even if you look at the state level, people are very frustrated.”

According to the proposed text of AB 1535, the measure would add political affiliation as a qualifying characteristic for hate crime charges. The law states that a hate crime “means a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim,” currently including: disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion.

Discussing the potential concerns that could be posed by the Democratic supermajority, Davies emphasized that her proposed bill would not infringe either side’s freedom of speech.

“I think one of the most important things is number one, we are not touching freedom of speech whatsoever. This is really people taking action, physical action against another person due to their political beliefs,” Davies said. “This is when they go past that when they go over that line and they actually are getting physical.”

Davies added that she’s personally heard concerns from her constituents, especially younger adults who have wanted to “stand up and say where they’re at,” but are afraid of having their opinions heard.

With the bill just being introduced, Davies told the DCNF that she has already had support from her Republican colleagues, but does expect pushback from Democrats eventually in the process. When asked if she had one message to those who may eventually oppose the bill, she stated that the bill’s bottom line is to help protect any tragedies from happening again.

“All I can say is that I bring this up as an elected and we’re all elected, we’re all representing a community. And the bottom line is this bill is about protecting the community, protecting any tragedies from happening. And again, letting them know that freedom of speech is there,” Davies said. “But, you know, doing physical harm is way past the line.”

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