Proposed Senate Bill 156

PROPOSED SENATE BILL 156

I have decided to research the Missouri bill SB 156 which was introduced on January 24, 2011. This bill was sponsored by Missouri Senator Scott Rupp. Senate Bill 156 proposed that any person who were either convicted of or plead guilty to first or second degree statutory rape, an attempt to commit first or second degree statutory rape, first or second degree statutory sodomy or an attempt to commit first or second degree statutory sodomy may not be eligible to receive a suspended imposition or suspended execution of sentence as punishment for their crime.

The Missouri Statute 566.032 defines the crime of first degree statutory rape as when a person has sexual intercourse with another person who is less than fourteen (14) years old. Committing first degree statutory rape or the attempt to commit statutory rape in the first degree is a felony that carries the punishment of imprisonment of not less than five years or imprisonment of life. If the perpetrator inflicts serious physical injury on the victim, forces victim to perform sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with more than one person, threatens victim with a

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Deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or if the victim is less than twelve (1) years old, the sentence of imprisonment for the perpetrator will range from no less than ten (10) years to life.

The Missouri Statute 566.034 defines the crime of second degree statutory rape as when a person, if being twenty-one (21) years of age or older, has sexual intercourse with another person who is less than seventeen (17) years of age. This crime is considered to be a class C felony having a punishment of imprisonment of no more than seven years.

The Missouri Statute 566.062 defines the crime of statutory sodomy in the first degree or an attempt to commit statutory sodomy in the first degree as any person having deviate sexual intercourse with another person who is less than fourteen (14) years old. Deviate sexual intercourse entails having any contact between any part of the genitals of one person and the mouth or anus of another. This crime is a felony and carries an imprisonment sentence of no less than five years or life. Like first degree statutory rape and the attempt to commit statutory rape, this crime will carry a higher term of imprisonment; if the perpetrator inflicts serious physical injury, forces the victim to engage in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with more than one person, threatens victim with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or the victim is less than twelve (12) years of age. For these acts, the perpetrator could face a term of no less than 10 years or life in prison.

The Missouri Statute 566.064 defines the crime of statutory sodomy in the second degree as any person being twenty-one (21) years of age or older having deviate sexual intercourse with

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another person, who is less than seventeen (17) years old. This crime is considered to be a class C felony which carries an imprisonment term of no less than 7 years.

Senate Bill 156 was proposed to