SB 402

Under current law, the crime of battery is defined as intentionally causing

another person bodily harm and is a Class A misdemeanor. Under current law, if the

battery is a special circumstance battery—for example, the battery is committed

against an individual because of the individual's status as a law enforcement officer,

witness in a trial, or juror—the penalty is increased to a Class H felony. Under this

bill, a threat or battery against a juror or a threat or battery against a family member

of a juror is a Class I felony.

Current law also allows a judge, upon sentencing a person for a crime, to

prohibit the person from contacting a victim of or witness to the person's crime during

any part of the person's sentence or probation. The bill allows a judge to prohibit a

person who is convicted of a crime from contacting, for any part of the person's

sentence or probation, a juror who served at any proceeding related to the person's

crime.

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.