House Bill No. by Representative Knox aims to increase the penalties for certain domestic violence offenses that involve strangulation. Specifically, the bill amends R.S. 14:34.9(L)(1) and 35.3(L)(1) to change the maximum imprisonment penalty for offenders from three years to ten years when the offense involves strangulation. This change applies to both the crime of battery of a dating partner and domestic abuse battery, ensuring that offenders face more severe consequences for such violent acts.

The proposed law retains the existing provisions of the current law while enhancing the penalties associated with strangulation in domestic violence cases. By increasing the maximum penalty, the bill seeks to address the seriousness of strangulation as a form of domestic abuse and aims to deter potential offenders from committing such acts.

Statutes affected:
HB160 Original: 14:9(L)(1), 14:3(L)(1)