The bill establishes the offense of "assault by criminal groping," defining it as intentional physical contact with an intimate body part of another person without the intent to commit sexual abuse. The term "intimate body part" is specifically defined to include the clothed or unclothed inner thigh, groin, buttock, or breast. The legislation outlines a tiered penalty structure: a first violation is classified as a serious misdemeanor, a second violation as an aggravated misdemeanor, and a third or subsequent violation as a class D felony. The penalties for these offenses range from confinement and fines, with serious misdemeanors carrying a maximum of one year in confinement and fines between $430 and $2,560, to class D felonies which can result in up to five years of confinement and fines between $1,025 and $10,245.

Additionally, the bill mandates that if a court determines the assault was sexually motivated, the offender must register as a sex offender based on the victim's age. If the victim is 14 years or older, the offender registers as a tier I sex offender; if the victim is under 14, the offender registers as a tier II sex offender. The bill amends existing laws to incorporate these new definitions and penalties, thereby enhancing legal measures against sexual offenses involving groping.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 692A.102, 709.11A