2017 -- S 0799

========

LC002536

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - SEXUAL ASSAULT

     Introduced By: Senators Nesselbush, Crowley, Doyle, Sosnowski, and Jabour

     Date Introduced: April 25, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 11-37-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-37 entitled "Sexual

Assault" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     11-37-3. Penalty for first degree sexual assault.

     (a) Every person who shall commit commits sexual assault in the first degree shall be

imprisoned for a period not less than ten (10) twenty (20) years and may be imprisoned for life.

     (b) During the commission of a first degree sexual assault, any person who uses a firearm

or other weapon, or whose victim is over the age of sixty (60) years, or who administers,

provides, or delivers any controlled substance to the victim during or prior to the first degree

sexual assault, or who electronically records the first degree sexual assault, or anytime a first

degree sexual assault is committed by more than one assailant, that person shall not be afforded

the benefits of deferment or suspension of the first ten (10) years of any sentence imposed

pursuant to this section.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC002536

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - SEXUAL ASSAULT

***

     This act would increase the minimum penalty for first degree sexual assault from ten (10)

to twenty (20) years. The act would also create a category of cases wherein the first ten (10) years

of any sentence be ineligible for the benefits of deferment or suspension.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC002536

========

LC002536 - Page 2 of 2