In a historic move, Georgia has become the first state in the United States to introduce a bill that formally recognizes Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu discrimination. The bill, SB 375, was presented to the Georgia General Assembly on April 4, 2025, with bipartisan support from state senators Shawn Still, Clint Dixon (Republicans), and Jason Esteves, Emanuel Jones (Democrats). If passed, the legislation will update Georgia’s penal code to define Hinduphobia as a “set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Hinduism.” It will also mandate state and local law enforcement to consider Hinduphobia while investigating hate crimes and potential discrimination cases.
Senator Shawn Still, the primary sponsor of the bill, emphasized the growing concern, stating, “Over the past few years, we have seen a marked increase in hate crimes against Hindus across the country.” The bill builds upon a resolution passed in April 2023 by the Georgia Assembly, which condemned Hinduphobia and acknowledged Hinduism as one of the world’s oldest religions, with over 1.2 billion adherents globally. That resolution celebrated Hinduism’s core values of acceptance, peace, and mutual respect.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), an advocacy group involved in drafting the bill, praised the effort. “We are proud to work closely with Senator Shawn Still on this important bill,” CoHNA said in a statement, adding that it reflects the needs of the Hindu community both in Georgia and across the U.S. According to the Pew Research Center, Hindus make up about 0.9% of the U.S. population — approximately 2.5 million people. In Georgia alone, more than 40,000 Hindus live primarily around the Atlanta area, many of whom trace their roots to Gujarat, India.
Concerns about rising Hinduphobia have been echoed by several Indian-American leaders. Congressman Shri Thanedar recently called attention to increasing hate crimes against Hindus and urged action. Suhag Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation noted a growing anti-Hindu bias, particularly on college campuses, and highlighted a lack of awareness about Hinduism among law enforcement. With over 1,300 hate crimes against Hindus reported in 2023, advocates hope this legislation will set a precedent for other states to follow.
