BILL NUMBER: S477
SPONSOR: OBERACKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to increasing the penalty for
rape in the first degree
 
PURPOSE:
Amends the penal law to increase the penalty for rape in the first-de-
gree from a class '13' felony to a class A-II' felony.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the penal code to increase the penalty for rape.
Section 2 states the effective date.
 
EXISTING LAW:.
First-degree rape is currently a class - 13' felony punishable by up to
a twenty-five year sentence fixed by the court.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
First-degree rape is one of the most heinous crimes an individual can
commit and must be punished accordingly. Under current law, the court
system is given too much leeway in determining the penalty for a
convicted first-degree rapist. The legislation would mandate that every
conviction incur a sentence of a minimum of ten years.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S1166/A4286 of 2023-2024 Referred to Codes
S5334/A5477 of 2021-2022 Referred to Codes
S5396/A7683 of 2019-2020 Referred to Codes
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate

Statutes affected:
S477: 130.35 penal law