Introduced
by
To establish new penalties and definitions for the crime of terrorism. The bill requires a mandatory sentence of life in prison for a person who commits an act of terrorism which takes the life of another, or who knowingly or unknowingly hinders the prosecution of terrorism by giving certain “criminal assistance” to the terrorist, such as helping to conceal the terrorist, aid his or her escape, hide evidence that would lead to capture and prosecution, and more. It would impose penalties of up to 20 years for a person who assists an act of terrorism, solicits support for terrorist acts, or makes a terrorist threat. The bill provides lesser penalties of up to life in prison for acts of terrorism which cause injury or property damage. Terrorism is defined as any one of certain listed violent felonies already covered under state law, when committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of any unit of government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of government by murder, assassination, or kidnapping. The bill is part of a legislative terrorism response package comprised of House Bills 5495 to 5520, and Senate Bills 930 to 960.
Referred to the Committee on Judiciary
Substitute offered
To replace the previous version of the bill with a version recommended by the committee which reported it. The substitute revises the definition of terrorism to be an act that is dangerous to human life and intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or to influence or affect the conduct of a unit of government through intimidation or coercion. The substitute includes an intent clause which requires that to be guilty of a crime a person giving or soliciting material support must know that he or she is helping a person or group which is planning an act of terrorism, and a definition of terrorist organization as one which is recognized as such by the U.S. State Department, and a provision which prohibits prosecution or property seizure under the bill for actions that fall under the First Amendment right to free speech are exempt from the provisions of the bill.
The substitute passed by voice vote
Passed in the Senate 32 to 2 (details)
To establish new penalties and definitions for the crime of terrorism. The bill requires a mandatory sentence of life in prison for a person who commits an act of terrorism which takes the life of another, or who in giving or soliciting material support knows that he or she is helping a person or group which is planning an act of terrorism. It would impose penalties of up to 20 years for a person who assists an act of terrorism, solicits support for terrorist acts, or makes a terrorist threat. The bill provides lesser penalties of up to life in prison for acts of terrorism which cause injury or property damage. Terrorism is defined as an act that is dangerous to human life and intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or to influence or affect the conduct of a unit of government through intimidation or coercion. The bill is part of a legislative terrorism response package comprised of House Bills 5495 to 5520, and Senate Bills 930 to 960.
Substitute offered
To replace the previous version of the bill with a version recommended by the committee which reported it. The substitute incorporates changes resulting from committee testimony and deliberation. These changes do not affect the substance of the bill as previously described.
The substitute passed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
To exempt a person who makes a false terrorism report from the proposed law against it if the person did not know it was false.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
To limit the proposed crime of terrorism to premeditated acts.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
To require the Attorney General to provide a report to the legislature in five years on national statistics of prosecutions and convictions under state terrorist statutes as well as any recommendations for legislative changes.
The amendment failed 49 to 58 (details)
Amendment offered
by
To "sunset" the proposed law on May 1, 2005.
The amendment failed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
The amendment passed 75 to 28 (details)
Passed in the House 106 to 0 (details)
To establish new penalties and definitions for the crime of terrorism. The bill requires a mandatory sentence of life in prison for a person who commits an act of terrorism which takes the life of another, or who in giving or soliciting material support knows that he or she is helping a person or group which is planning an act of terrorism. It would impose penalties of up to 20 years for a person who assists an act of terrorism, solicits support for terrorist acts, or makes a terrorist threat. The bill provides lesser penalties of up to life in prison for acts of terrorism which cause injury or property damage. Terrorism is defined as a willful, deliberate and premeditated act that is a violent felony, is known or should be known to be dangerous to human life and is intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or to influence or affect the conduct of a unit of government through intimidation or coercion. The bill would sunset after two years.
Amendment offered
by
To strip out the requirement added by the House that in order to be guilty of a crime of terrorism, the act must be premeditated.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
To strip out the two-year sunset on the bill added by the House.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Passed in the Senate 31 to 5 (details)
To concur with the House-passed version of the bill, with amendments.
Received
Amendment offered
by
To add back the two-year sunset stripped out by the Senate.
The amendment failed 44 to 55 (details)
Substitute offered
by
To reconsider the vote by which the Senate concurred in an amended House version that stripped out the premeditation language.
The substitute passed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
To reconsider the vote by which the Senate stripped out premeditation language added by the House.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Amendment offered
by
To reinsert premeditation language similar to that earlier stripped out of an amended House version.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Passed in the Senate 28 to 7 (details)
To aggree to a version of the bill with the provision that in order to be guilty of a crime of terrorism the act must be premeditated, but without a two-year sunset.
Received
Passed in the House 89 to 16 (details)
