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Committee adopts interim study to explore aggravated-assault offense for public transit employees
Summary
The joint House and Senate Judiciary Committee adopted an interim study to refine a proposal (sponsor: Rep. Dean Hodges) that would create a targeted aggravated-assault offense for public transit employees, with prosecutors and transit directors debating whether existing sentencing enhancements already cover the conduct.
The joint House and Senate Judiciary Committee on the morning session adopted an interim study to examine a proposal creating an aggravated-assault offense specifically aimed at attacks on public transit employees, Representative Dean Hodges said.
Representative Dean Hodges introduced the measure as House Bill 1839 and asked the committee to authorize staff and sponsors to work through statutory language and possible alternate code sections. "This is a bill that I put into interim study during session, on the request of a constituent of mine, Ozark Regional Transit," Hodges said.
Witnesses from Arkansas transit agencies told the committee they have seen an increase in assaults and that current rider-behavior rules and misdemeanor charges often do not deter repeat…
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