Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes penalties for violent and disorderly assemblies or "riots."

Highlights:

• Classifies aggravated assault as any of the following (Sec. 1A):

• If the person causes serious physical injury;

• If the person uses a deadly weapon;

• If the person commits the assault while the victim is bound or physically restrained;

• If the person commits the assault after entering private property;

• If the person is 18 years of age or older and the victim is a minor under the age of 15;

• If the person commits the assault knowing that the victim is a peace officer, constable, firefighter, teacher, health care practitioner, prosecutor, or judicial officer;

• If the person commits the assault on a peace officer in the course of committing violent or disorderly assembly; and

• If the person commits the assault using fireworks or permissible consumer fireworks in the course of committing violent or disorderly assembly.

• Classifies aiming a laser pointer at a peace officer as a class 1 misdemeanor unless the offense occurs in the course of committing violent or disorderly assembly, which would be a class 6 felony (Sec. 2C).

• Classifies committing criminal damage as the following (Sec. 3):

• Recklessly damaging property of another person;

• Recklessly tampering with property of another person resulting in impairing its function or value;

• Damaging the property of a utility; and

• Intentionally tampering with utility property.

• Classifies criminal damage as a class 4 felony if the person damages the property of another in an amount of $10,000 or more (Sec. 3)

• Classifies criminal damage as a class 4 felony if the person damages the property of a utility in an amount of $5,000 or more (Sec. 3).

• Classifies criminal damage as a class 1 misdemeanor if the person damages the property of another between $250 and $1,000 unless the damage occurs in the course of committing violent or disorderly assembly, which would be a class 6 felony (Sec. 3).

• Classifies obstructing a highway as a class 6 felony if the obstruction occurs while committing violent or disorderly assembly (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that any person who knowingly commits a public nuisance as a class 2 misdemeanor unless the person commits the offense while committing violent or disorderly assembly, which is a class 6 felony (Sec. 5).

• Establishes a person committed violent or disorderly assembly if 7 or more persons acted together with the intent to engage in conduct constituting a riot that caused damage to the property or injuries (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text