This bill proposes to amend current statutes by establishing enhanced sentencing guidelines for felony offenses committed against vulnerable adults. Under the new provisions, if a person is convicted of a felony and knows or has reason to know that the victim is a vulnerable adult, they will face increased sentences: an additional three years for class 4, 5, or 6 felonies, and five years for class 2 or 3 felonies. Furthermore, individuals convicted under these circumstances will be ineligible for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon, or early release until their full sentence is served, unless specific conditions outlined in existing statutes are met.

The bill also clarifies that any additional sentence imposed due to the victim's status as a vulnerable adult must be added to any other applicable sentence enhancements. This change aims to strengthen protections for vulnerable adults by ensuring that offenders face more severe consequences for crimes committed against them. The current law remains unchanged, but the new language will be inserted into the Arizona Revised Statutes to reflect these updates.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-722
House Engrossed Version: 13-722