The proposed bill amends Arizona Revised Statutes section 13-1204 regarding aggravated assault on peace officers. The key changes include specifying that a person must have known or should have known that the victim was a peace officer to be subject to the enhanced penalties for aggravated assault. This applies to various classifications of aggravated assault, which are now explicitly defined based on the offender's knowledge of the victim's status as a peace officer. Additionally, the bill clarifies that any enhanced penalties or aggravation based on the victim's status require actual knowledge or reason to know of that status at the time of the assault.

Furthermore, the bill removes references to employees of law enforcement agencies in the context of aggravated assault and focuses solely on peace officers. It also modifies the eligibility for suspension of sentence, commutation, or release, allowing for specific exceptions under certain conditions. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding assaults on peace officers by emphasizing the offender's awareness of the victim's status.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-1204