BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó






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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                        AB 701|
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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.








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          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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