BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 701| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 **** END ****