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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL ASSAULT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Craven, Caldwell, and Casimiro

     Date Introduced: January 06, 2022

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-37-13.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-37 entitled "Sexual

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Assault" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-37-13.1. Recording -- Grand jury testimony -- Child assault.

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     (a) In any grand jury proceeding investigating a sexual assault alleged to have been

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committed against a child, a recording of a statement from the alleged victim who is fourteen (14)

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sixteen (16) years of age or younger at the time of the proceeding shall be admissible into evidence

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at the proceeding if:

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     (1) The statement is sworn to under oath by the child, and the significance of the oath is

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explained to the child;

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     (2) The recording is both visual and aural and is recorded on film or videotape or by other

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electronic means;

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     (3) The recording equipment was capable of making an accurate recording, the operator of

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the equipment was competent, and the recording is accurate and has not been altered;

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     (4) Every voice on the recording is identified;

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     (5) The statement was not made in response to questioning calculated to lead the child to

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make a particular statement;

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     (6) The person conducting the interview is an attorney in the department of the attorney

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general or another person chosen by the attorney general to make the proceeding less intimidating

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to the child, and the interviewer is available to testify at the proceeding;

 

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     (7) The child is available to testify if requested by the grand jurors; and

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     (8) The recording is made a part of the record of the grand jury.

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     (b) In any grand jury proceeding investigating a sexual assault alleged to have been

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committed against a child, a recording of a statement from the alleged victim who is more than

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fourteen (14) years of age and less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the proceeding

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shall be admissible into evidence at the proceeding if:

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     (1) The attorney general petitions the court for permission to introduce the recording at the

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proceeding; and

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     (2) The court grants the petition upon a finding that the child would suffer unreasonable

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and unnecessary mental or emotional harm if required to appear personally before the grand jury

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in order to testify; and

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     (3) All of the conditions as set forth in subsection (a) of this section are followed.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL ASSAULT

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     This act would increase the age of children able to utilize a recorded forensic interview for

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cases of sexual abuse in grand jury testimony -- child assault from age fourteen (14) to age sixteen

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(16).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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