Hate Crimes Commission Act of 2026

This bill establishes the United States Commission on Hate Crimes , comprising 10 members appointed by congressional leaders and the Attorney General, with balanced representation from law enforcement and civil rights communities. The Commission is tasked with investigating the factors contributing to the high rate of hate crime incidents, including the role of social media and technology. It will also examine policies for reducing hate crimes, the impact of underreporting on statistics and prevention efforts, and ways to improve participation in the National Incident-Based Reporting System. Within one year of its full appointment, the Commission must publish a report to Congress and the President, detailing its findings and offering recommendations to improve hate crime reporting by local agencies and enhance bias prevention efforts. Concurrently, the bill mandates a Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's hate crime data collection. This audit will assess the FBI's methodologies and data accuracy, comparing it with other sources, and recommend improvements to ensure the reliability and completeness of hate crime statistics, particularly by identifying patterns from zero-reporting agencies or inconsistent reporting.