AB 424

Under current law, an individual who causes bodily harm to another individual

is guilty of battery, which is a Class A misdemeanor. Current law provides more

severe penalties for battery committed against certain public officials. For instance,

an individual who intentionally causes, or threatens to cause, bodily harm to a judge

is guilty of a Class H felony. Under this bill, an individual is guilty of a Class I felony

if he or she intentionally causes, or threatens to cause, bodily harm to a court

employee, which includes circuit court clerks and their employees, employees of the

supreme court, district attorneys and deputy and assistant district attorneys, and

state public defenders, who is acting in his or her official capacity or if the act or

threat is in response to an action he or she has taken in an official capacity. Also

under this bill, an individual is guilty of a Class I felony if he or she threatens to cause

damage to a courthouse and if the threatened action could result in bodily harm to

a judge or court employee.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,

the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a

report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to

result if the bill is enacted.