34 USC § 30502 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t34/s30502"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "34 USC § 30502 - Definitions"
title_number: 34
title_name: "CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT"
section_number: "30502"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 305
chapter_name: "HATE CRIMES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 111–84, div. E, § 4703(b), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2836.)"
---


# § 30502. Definitions

In this division—

**(1)** the term “crime of violence” has the meaning given that term in section 16 of title 18;

**(2)** the term “hate crime” has the meaning given that term in section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–322; 108 Stat. 2096), as amended by this Act;

**(3)** the term “local” means a county, city, town, township, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State; and

**(4)** the term “State” includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 111–84, div. E, § 4703(b), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2836.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This division, referred to in text, is division E of , , , known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. For complete classification of division E to the Code, see Short Title of 2009 Act note set out under  and Tables.

Section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (; ), as amended by this Act, referred to in par. (2), is , , , as amended by , which enacted provisions listed in a table relating to sentencing guidelines set out as a note under , Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

### Codification

Section is comprised of subsec. (b) of . Subsec. (a) of  amended provisions listed in a Table of Provisions for Review, Promulgation, or Amendment of Federal Sentencing Guidelines set out under , Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Section was formerly classified as a note under , The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.