Assembly Bill No. 280-Assemblymen Berman, Ohrenschall, Herrera, Manendo, Nolan, Collins, Koivisto, Gustavson, Buckley, Carpenter, Segerblom, Perkins, Hettrick, Anderson, Price, Ernaut, Cegavske, Krenzer, Chowning, Lee, Braunlin, Parks, Lambert, Bache, Arberry, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Amodei, Von Tobel, Neighbors and de Braga
March 17, 1997
____________
Referred to Concurrent Committees on Health and Human
Services and Judiciary
SUMMARY--Increases penalties for certain sexual offenses and creates mandatory conditions of parole for certain sex offenders. (BDR 15-1275)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: Yes.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Yes.
EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to crimes; increasing the penalty for certain sexual offenses committed against a child who is less than 14 years of age; requiring the state board of parole commissioners to impose certain conditions of parole on persons who commit such offenses; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1 NRS 200.366 is hereby amended to read as follows:
200.3661. A person who subjects another person to sexual penetration, or who forces another person to make a sexual penetration on himself or another, or on a beast, against the victim's will or under conditions in which the perpetrator knows or should know that the victim is mentally or physically incapable of resisting or understanding the nature of his conduct, is guilty of sexual assault.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a person who commits a sexual assault is guilty of a category A felony and shall be punished:
(a) If substantial bodily harm to the victim results from the actions of the defendant committed in connection with or as a part of the sexual assault, by imprisonment in the state prison:
(1) For life without the possibility of parole;
(2) For life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 15 years has been served; or
(3) For a definite term of 40 years, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 15 years has been served.
(b) If no substantial bodily harm to the victim results:
(1) By imprisonment in the state prison for life, with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 10 years has been served; or
(2) By imprisonment in the state prison for a definite term of 25 years, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 10 years has been served.
3. A person who commits a sexual assault against a child under the age of 16 years is guilty of a category A felony and shall be punished:
(a) If the crime results in substantial bodily harm to the child, by imprisonment in the state prison for life without the possibility of parole.
(b) [If] Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), if the crime does not result in substantial bodily harm to the child, by imprisonment in the state prison for:
(1) Life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 20 years has been served; or
(2) [For a] A definite term of not less than 5 years nor more than 20 years, without the possibility of parole.
(c) If the crime is committed against a child under the age of 14 years and does not result in substantial bodily harm to the child, by imprisonment in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 20 years has been served.
Sec. 2 NRS 200.508 is hereby amended to read as follows:
200.508 1. A person who:
(a) Willfully causes a child who is less than 18 years of age to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering as a result of abuse or neglect or to be placed in a situation where the child may suffer physical pain or mental suffering as the result of abuse or neglect; or
(b) Is responsible for the safety or welfare of a child and who permits or allows that child to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering as a result of abuse or neglect or to be placed in a situation where the child may suffer physical pain or mental suffering as the result of abuse or neglect,
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor unless a more severe penalty is prescribed by law for an act or omission which brings about the abuse, neglect or danger.
2. A person who violates any provision of subsection 1, if substantial bodily or mental harm results to the child [,] :
(a) If the child is less than 14 years of age and the harm is the result of sexual abuse or exploitation, is guilty of a category A felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 10 years has been served; or
(b) In all other such cases to which paragraph (a) does not apply, is guilty of a category B felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 2 years and a maximum term of not more than 20 years.
3. As used in this section:
(a) "Abuse or neglect" means physical or mental injury of a nonaccidental nature, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child under the age of 18 years, as set forth in NRS 432B.070, 432B.090, 432B.100, 432B.110, 432B.140 and 432B.150, under circumstances which indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm.
(b) "Allow" means to do nothing to prevent or stop the abuse or neglect of a child in circumstances where the person knows or has reason to know that the child is abused or neglected.
(c) "Permit" means permission that a reasonable person would not grant and which amounts to a neglect of responsibility attending the care, custody and control of a minor child.
(d) "Substantial mental harm" means an injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity or the emotional condition of a child as evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment of the ability of the child to function within his normal range of performance or behavior.
Sec. 3 NRS 200.750 is hereby amended to read as follows:
200.750 [Each] A person punishable pursuant to NRS 200.710 or 200.720 shall be punished for a category A felony [:
1. By] by imprisonment in the state prison:
1. If the minor is 14 years of age or older:
(a) For life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 5 years has been served; or
(b) For a definite term of 15 years, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 5 years has been served , [; and
2. By]
and shall be further punished by a fine of not more than $100,000.
2. If the minor is less than 14 years of age, for life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 10 years has been served, and shall be further punished by a fine of not more than $100,000.
Sec. 4 NRS 201.195 is hereby amended to read as follows:
201.195 1. A person who incites, entices or solicits a minor to engage in acts which constitute the infamous crime against nature:
(a) If the minor actually engaged in such acts as a result [,] and:
(1) The minor was less than 14 years of age, is guilty of a category A felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 10 years has been served.
(2) The minor was 14 years of age or older, is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
(b) If the minor did not engage in such acts:
(1) For the first offense, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
(2) For any subsequent offense, is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
2. A person convicted of violating any of the provisions of subsection 1 may not be:
(a) Paroled unless a board consisting of:
(1) The administrator of the mental hygiene and mental retardation division of the department of human resources or his designee;
(2) The director of the department of prisons or his designee; and
(3) A psychologist licensed to practice in Nevada or a psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in Nevada,
certifies that the person so convicted was under observation while confined in an institution of the department of prisons and is not a menace to the health, safety or morals of others.
(b) Released on probation unless a psychologist licensed to practice in Nevada or a psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in Nevada certifies that the person so convicted is not a menace to the health, safety or morals of others.
3. As used in this section, the "infamous crime against nature" means anal intercourse, cunnilingus or fellatio between natural persons of the same sex. Any sexual penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete the infamous crime against nature.
Sec. 5 NRS 201.230 is hereby amended to read as follows:
201.230 1. A person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act, other than acts constituting the crime of sexual assault, upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child under the age of 14 years, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust or passions or sexual desires of that person or of that child, is guilty of a category [B] A felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for [a minimum term of not less than 2 years and a maximum term of not more than] life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 10 years [,] has been served, and may be further punished by a fine of not more than $10,000.
2. A person convicted of violating any of the provisions of subsection 1 must not be:
(a) Paroled unless a board consisting of:
(1) The administrator of the mental hygiene and mental retardation division of the department of human resources;
(2) The director of the department of prisons; and
(3) A psychologist licensed to practice in Nevada or a psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in Nevada,
certifies that the person so convicted was under observation while confined in an institution of the department of prisons and is not a menace to the health, safety or morals of others. For the purposes of this paragraph, the administrator and the director may each designate a person to represent him on the board.
(b) Released on probation unless a psychologist licensed to practice in Nevada or a psychiatrist licensed to practice medicine in Nevada certifies that the person so convicted is not a menace to the health, safety or morals of others.
Sec. 6 Chapter 213 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. As a condition of releasing on parole a prisoner who was convicted of committing an offense listed in subsection 2 against a child under the age of 14 years the board shall:
(a) Require the parolee to participate in psychological counseling;
(b) Prohibit the parolee from being alone with a child unless another adult who has never been convicted of a sexual offense is present; and
(c) Prohibit the parolee from being on or near the grounds of a public or private school.
2. The provisions of subsection 1 apply to a prisoner who was convicted of:
(a) Sexual assault pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 3 of NRS 200.366;
(b) Abuse or neglect of a child pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 2 of NRS 200.508;
(c) An offense punishable pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 200.750;
(d) Solicitation of a minor to engage in acts constituting the infamous crime against nature pursuant to subparagraph (1) of paragraph (a) of subsection 1 of NRS 201.195;
(e) Lewdness with a child pursuant to NRS 201.230; or
(f) Any combination of the crimes listed in paragraphs (a) to (e), inclusive.
Sec. 7 NRS 213.107 is hereby amended to read as follows:
213.107 As used in NRS 213.107 to 213.157, inclusive, and section 6 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Board" means the state board of parole commissioners.
2. "Chief" means the chief parole and probation officer.
3. "Division" means the division of parole and probation of the department of motor vehicles and public safety.
4. "Residential confinement" means the confinement of a person convicted of a crime to his place of residence under the terms and conditions established by the board.
5. "Sex offender" means any person who has been or is convicted of a sexual offense.
6. "Sexual offense" means:
(a) A violation of NRS 200.366, subsection 4 of NRS 200.400, NRS 200.710, 200.720, subsection 2 of NRS 200.730, NRS 201.180, paragraph (a) or subparagraph (2) of paragraph (b) of subsection 1 of NRS 201.195, NRS 201.230 or 201.450;
(b) An attempt to commit any offense listed in paragraph (a); or
(c) An act of murder in the first or second degree, kidnaping in the first or second degree, false imprisonment, burglary or invasion of the home if the act is determined to be sexually motivated at a hearing conducted pursuant to NRS 175.547.
7. "Standards" means the objective standards for granting or revoking parole or probation which are adopted by the board or the chief.
Sec. 8 The provisions of subsection 1 of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any additional expenses of a local government that are related to the provisions of this act.
Sec. 9 The provisions of this act do not apply to offenses that are committed before October 1, 1997.