AB 213

Under current law, an individual who intentionally causes bodily harm to a

public officer in order to influence the action of the public officer or as a result of any

action the public officer took (battery to a public officer) is guilty of a Class I felony.

Under this bill, battery to a public officer would include intentionally causing bodily

harm to a family member of a public officer in order to influence the action of the

public officer or as a result of any action the public officer took. Also, under this bill,

an individual who, with the intention of harassing or intimidating a legislator or a

member of his or family, either due to an official action of a legislator or with the

intention of influencing an official action, strikes, shoves, or kicks the legislator or

his or her family member; commits acts that harass or intimidate the legislator or

his or her family member with no legitimate purpose; or remains on or within 100

yards of property that the legislator or family member owns or occupies is guilty of

a Class A misdemeanor. The classification of the crime increases to a Class H felony

if the act is accompanied by a credible threat that places the legislator or family

member in reasonable fear of death or bodily harm or if the conviction is the second

or subsequent conviction, or the individual has been convicted of battery to a public

officer, stalking, or harassment, and the victim is the same legislator or a family

member of the same legislator.

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.