An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Attorney General's Working Group Regarding Sentencing Factors for Crimes against Persons Who Are Homeless

Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §1151, sub-§8, ¶B,  as enacted by PL 1995, c. 149, §1, is amended to read:

B .  The selection by the defendant of the person against whom the crime was committed or of the property that was damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or , sexual orientation or homelessness of that person or of the owner or occupant of that property.

SUMMARY

This bill implements the recommendations of the Attorney General's working group regarding the advisability of implementing aggravating sentencing factors for crimes against persons who are homeless, which was established pursuant to Public Law 2005, chapter 393. The bill proposes to amend the purpose section of the general sentencing provisions of the Maine Criminal Code by adding homelessness to the list of factors, such as the age, religion and sexual orientation of a victim, that a court considers in determining the gravity of an offense in sentencing.