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Committee backs tougher sentencing path for repeat strangulation convictions
Summary
House Bill 12-90 would direct aggravated sentencing for people convicted a second time of strangulation, a measure sponsors and victim-advocacy witnesses said responds to research linking strangulation to elevated homicide risk; the committee advanced the bill to the Committee of the Whole.
Senator Purcell described House Bill 12-90 as a narrowly tailored public-safety measure that applies aggravated sentencing to individuals who are convicted of strangulation a second time. He said the bill responds to research showing that prior strangulation is a strong predictor of future homicide in intimate-partner situations and that the bill does not attempt to overturn the state Supreme Court's People v. Lee decision.
Senator Cutter and other sponsors framed the bill as a response to the lethality of strangulation and cited medical and fatality-review literature regarding unconsciousness, brain injury and elevated homicide risk. Witnesses from anti-violence organizations and victim-advocacy groups testified in support, and sponsors reported no remaining registered opposition after house amendments. The committee voted to move HB 12-90 to the Committee of the Whole (recorded 6–0).
