Topeka ? After a one-hour meeting Friday, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said there was no time left, ended the meeting and placed legislation against hate crimes and animal cruelty on indefinite hold.

Judiciary Chairman Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood, said he didn’t know if either bill would be considered again by the panel because his meetings are booked.

Vratil said he made the decision to end the meeting around 11 a.m. because it was the end of the week, committee members had other plans and few other committees were conducting business.

Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, sponsor of the hate-crimes and animal-cruelty legislation, said he was surprised by Vratil’s actions.

The hate-crimes measure would increase punishment for those convicted of attacking someone if the crime was motivated by bias based on race, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

The animal-cruelty measure would toughen penalties for people who abuse animals.

Haley has fought for both pieces of legislation for years but has been turned down by the Legislature.

On Friday, the Judiciary Committee was to hear testimony on a package of bills aimed at increasing protections for people victimized by domestic abuse and violence.

After the testimony on those bills, the committee was scheduled to vote on the hate-crimes and animal-cruelty legislation. A public hearing on those bills had been conducted before the committee last week.

When testimony concluded on the domestic-violence bills, Vratil ended the meeting.