Illinois Gov. Signs E-Hate Crime Legislation

The Chicago Tribune is reporting this morning that Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has signed a bill that would make it a hate crime to "use electronic communication to harass someone because of his or her race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability."

This makes sense to me. If part of what makes an act a hate crime is calling someone an epithet while you're assaulting them, then part of the assault, the "hate" part of that crime is the epithet. It follows then that sending assaultive words by use of electronic communication should be considered a hate crime. I wonder if there will be any controversy surrounding this legislation?