When a community is threatened by violent crime, it isn’t just the direct victims who suffer. Families, schools, the economy and the entire area’s quality of life are also harmed.
State Senator Randy Head said, “As your state senator, it’s my job to pass laws that will provide our police officers and courts the toolsthey need to keep the public safe.”
Last week, the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law passed three bills that target crime.
Senate Bill 92-Deadly Weapons specifies offenses that are eligible for a sentencing enhancement if a deadly weapon is used in the commission of certain offenses. A sentence may be enhanced when a deadly weapon is used during the commission of controlled substance offenses. The bill also provides sentencing enhancements for the possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of an offense may not be suspended and finally provides that a person is a habitual offender if the state proves the person has been convicted of three prior unrelated felonies of any level.
Senate Bill 164 – Crimes involving deadly weapons provides that a person convicted of two or more felony offenses involving the unlawful use of a deadly weapon or that were not committed as part of the same episode of criminal conduct; may not have the person’s convictions expunged.
Senate Bill 559 – Crimes of Violence Adds unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon to the definition of “crimes of violence.” The bill establishes new caps for consecutive sentences that result from a single episode of criminal conduct. It defines “emergency medical service provider”. Established a 20 year sentencing enhancement for a person who points or discharges a firearm at an individual whom the person knows or reasonably should have known was a police officer and makes technical corrections.
Senator Head said, “To follow these bills as they move through the legislative process or learn more about the proposals, visit www.in.gov/iga.”
