The death of Ahmaud Arbery, who was killed while jogging, prompted renewed calls for Georgia to pass a hate crimes law. Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 426 on Friday, giving the state its first hate crime law in 16 years.

Stephen B. Morton/AP

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Stephen B. Morton/AP

The death of Ahmaud Arbery, who was killed while jogging, prompted renewed calls for Georgia to pass a hate crimes law. Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 426 on Friday, giving the state its first hate crime law in 16 years.

Stephen B. Morton/AP

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed a hate crimes bill into law.

The killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man shot dead while jogging in February, drew nationwide attention and energized efforts to pass this law.

Ahead of the signing on Friday, Kemp called House Bill 426 a “silver lining” amid difficult and stormy times.

“There are plenty of disagreements and division but today we stand together as Republicans and Democrats, black and white, male and female … to affirm a simple but powerful motto, Georgia is a state too great to hate,” Kemp said.

Until Friday, Georgia had been one of four states without a hate crimes law, according to the Department of Justice. This type of law criminalizes acts motivated by aspects of the victim’s identity such as race, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

Three white men, including a retired police officer, have been indicted in connection to Arbery’s death and charged with felony murder.

A version of the bill had previously passed the state’s House last March, but stalled out in the Senate. When lawmakers returned this month from a three month hiatus due to COVID-19, they revived the legislation.

On Friday, the state’s Republican governor praised the bill as a bipartisan effort.

“This bipartisan legislation is a powerful step forward. It’s a sign of progress and it’s a milestone worth applauding,” Kemp said.

Georgia Public Broadcasting reported that the state’s previous hate crimes law was struck down by Georgia Supreme Court 16 years ago for being too vague.

The final version of the law also mandates the creation of a state database tracking hate crimes.