Hate crimes; revise delineation of victim.

HB 247 revises Mississippi's hate crime law to expand the categories of victims eligible for enhanced penalties. It adds "actual or perceived employment as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician" as a new trigger for enhanced penalties, alongside existing categories like race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and national origin. The bill requires courts to hold separate sentencing hearings where a jury must find beyond reasonable doubt that the crime was motivated by the victim's identity or occupation. If proven, penalties can increase to double the standard prison term or fine. This directly affects victims of crimes targeting specific identities or first responders, and impacts how courts handle sentencing for such offenses.