Aim is to ‘lower the political temperature’
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.
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“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.
