Plain English Breakdown
The official status shows a hearing was canceled at the author's request, though the bill is marked as passed by the legislature in metadata. The final enactment date remains unknown based on provided text.
Firearm Penalties and Threats Against Public Officials
This law changes how extra prison time is applied to peace officers using guns during crimes and clarifies that threats against public officials can be sent electronically.
What This Bill Does
- Prohibits adding extra prison time for firearm use by a peace officer unless the act did not happen in the course of their employment.
- Requires prosecutors to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that firearm penalties apply to a peace officer.
- Defines what it means for an act to arise out of and be in the course of employment.
- Clarifies that threats against public officials can be directly communicated using electronic communication devices.
Who It Names or Affects
- Peace officers charged with crimes involving firearms
- Local prosecutors who must prove facts in court cases
- Public officials and employees who receive threats
Terms To Know
- Firearm enhancements
- Extra prison time added to a sentence for using or shooting a gun during certain crimes.
- Preponderance of the evidence
- A standard where facts show it is more likely than not that something happened.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill states no state reimbursement money will be given to local agencies for these new duties.
- The text does not list specific electronic devices, only that they are communication tools used to send threats.
- An effective date is not listed in the provided source material.