Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the defenses of justification and diminished capacity for certain violent crimes
Sponsored by Sen. Liz Bennett (D), Sen. Matt Blake (D), Sen. Molly Donahue (D), Sen. William A. Dotzler Jr. (D), Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott (D), Sen. Janet Petersen (D), Sen. Art Staed (D), Sen. Cindy Winckler (D)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 20, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 25, 2025
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People who commit violent crimes or assaults because of a nonviolent sexual advance cannot use certain legal defenses in court. This rule also applies if the person attacks someone because they found out about that person's sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. These changes affect how defendants can argue their cases during trials for these specific crimes.1
Read the official explanation
This bill specifies that the defenses of justification and diminished capacity are not available when a person who is the subject of a nonviolent sexual advance commits a violent crime or an assault upon another person as the result of that sexual advance or solely as a result of the person’s discovery of, knowledge about, or potential disclosure of the victim’s sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.11, and includes any other felony or aggravated misdemeanor which involved the actual or threatened infliction of physical or emotional injury on one or more persons. 1 defines assault. A person commits an assault when, without justification, the person does any of the following: any act which is intended to cause pain or injury to, or which is intended to result in physical contact which will be insulting or offensive to another, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act; any act which is intended to place another in fear of immediate physical contact which will be painful, injurious, insulting, or offensive, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act; intentionally points any firearm toward another, or displays in a threatening manner any dangerous weapon toward another; and intentionally points a laser toward a person or aircraft.
Senate subcommittee
Named February 25, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
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91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in 2 earlier General Assemblies. None became law, though one got through a chamber.
- HF 159 Relating to the defenses of justification and diminished capacity for certain violent crim…90th General Assembly · Passed House · nearly identicalPassed a chamber
- HF 310 Relating to the defenses of justification and diminished capacity for certain violent crim…89th General Assembly · Passed House · nearly identicalPassed a chamber
Matched by wording or an identical title.