US President Barack Obama signed legislation Wednesday that extends existing hate crimes laws to attacks motivated by gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.
The legislation, which had stalled in Congress for years, marks the first major victory for the gay rights community since Obama came into office in January. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes bill was approved by US lawmakers earlier this month.
Shepard was a gay college student who was brutally killed in 1998 in Wyoming. Byrd was an African-American man chained and dragged to death that same year on the back of a pickup truck by three white men in Texas.
"After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we've passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are," Obama said.
Members of Shepard and Byrd's family were at the White House signing ceremony and Obama planned a separate reception later Wednesday.
The law allows prosecutors to tack on additional punishment for crimes they believe are motivated by hatred of a certain group. Hate crime laws already exist for race, colour, religion or national origin.
The bill was approved as part of the defence department's annual budget for the fiscal year 2010.