By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s children may be safer from predators thanks to the work of one Republican state senator this legislative session.
This week, State Senator Janae Shamp touted the signing of her bill, SB 1232, which will “classify sexual conduct with a minor as a class 1 felony punishable by natural life imprisonment if the minor is 12 years old or younger and suffers serious physical injury” – according to the overview by the Arizona House of Representatives.
Governor Katie Hobbs signed the bill into law on June 21.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this new law to crack down on these evil crimes. It’s heartbreaking such a law was even needed in the first place,” said Senator Shamp. “If a criminal sexually abuses a child so badly that it causes them serious physical injury, they should NEVER experience the free world again. I strongly believe this, which is why I worked to ensure these offenders face life in prison.”
Shamp added, “We are sending a message to the nation that in Arizona, these wicked acts will not be tolerated, and these monsters engaging in them will face the full force of the law. I dedicated this session to protect our innocent children from these animals, but I know there’s still more work to be done.”
In her press release, the first-term Republican state senator also reminded readers of two other bills she had sponsored this year, that had been signed into law by Hobbs. One was SB 1236, which “will soon require additional level one sex offenders convicted of Dangerous Crimes Against Children to be published on the internet sex offender website.” Another was SB 1404, which “will ensure schools are notified if a parent of a child attending that school is a registered sex offender convicted of a Dangerous Crime Against Children.”
Back in February, this legislation passed the Arizona Senate with an overwhelming 23-5 vote (with two members not voting). The bill received a green light from the Arizona House this month with a near-unanimous 57-1 result (with two members not voting).
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Middle Ground Prison Reform, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Arizona National Organization for Women, State Conference NAACP, and Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice had signed in to oppose the proposal as it was being considered by the state house and senate. Christine Accurso endorsed the bill.
SB 1232 will go into effect 90 days from the adjournment of the 2024 Arizona Legislative Session, which occurred earlier this month.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
