BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 701|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 701
Author: Cristina Garcia (D) and Eggman (D), et al.
Amended: 8/2/16 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/28/16
AYES: Hancock, Anderson, Glazer, Leno, Liu, Monning, Stone
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-1, 5/7/15 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Sex crimes: rape
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill provides that the Legislature finds and
declares that all forms of nonconsensual sexual assault may be
considered rape for purposes of the gravity of the offense and
the support of survivors, and that this section is declarative
of existing law.
ANALYSIS: Existing law provides generally that sexual assault
is a felony, as specified and described in several discrete
sections of the Penal Code. (See e.g., Penal Code §§ 261; 262;
286; 288a; 289 and other sections)
This bill enacts a new statute stating that the Legislature
finds and declares that all forms of nonconsensual sexual
assault may be considered rape for purposes of the gravity of
the offense and the support of survivors, and that this section
is declarative of existing law.
AB 701
Page 2
Background
California's sexual assault crimes are set forth in discrete
sections that describe the specific nature of the sexual
assault. For example, rape, defined as nonconsensual sexual
intercourse (Penal Code § 261), nonconsensual sodomy (Penal Code
§ 286), nonconsensual oral copulation (Penal Code § 288a) and
nonconsensual sexual penetration (Penal Code § 289) all set
forth particular sex crimes based upon the nature of the felony
conduct. Each of these crimes carries the same sentence triads
and life sentences where aggravating circumstances are present.
Over the last many years have been amended to reflect a broader,
more comprehensive understanding of the fundamental nature of
these sex crimes. While the specific conduct is proscribed in
discrete sections of the law, those sections contain mirroring
language.
Of these statutes, only nonconsensual sexual intercourse is
expressly described as "rape." Sodomy is described as "sodomy."
Oral copulation is described as "oral copulation." And,
nonconsensual sexual penetration is described as "sexual
penetration." These descriptions, however, do not limit the
scope, application or sentences for these crimes. The law
considers these crimes to be equally grave.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:NoLocal: No
SUPPORT: (Verified8/1/16)
Audrie Pott Foundation
California Young Democrats
Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
State Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma
AB 701
Page 3
OPPOSITION: (Verified8/1/16)
None received
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-1, 5/7/15
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Chang, Chau,
Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd,
Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia,
Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray,
Grove, Hadley, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer,
Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis,
Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte,
O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon,
Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Mark Stone,
Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood,
Atkins
NOES: Chávez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Campos, Roger Hernández, Steinorth
Prepared by:Alison Anderson / PUB. S. /
8/3/16 19:17:54
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