California lawmakers passed a bill Monday that will close a loophole in rape sentencing cases, a piece of legislation inspired by the light sentencing of former Stanford student and convicted sexual assailant, Brock Turner. Turner did not receive any prison time but was sentenced to just six months in jail. The Los Angeles Times reported that the new legislation, AB 2888, aims to enforce harsher minimum sentencing for those convicted of sexual assault.
According to the LA Times, current California law enforces prison sentencing for rapists who also use additional physical force. Under the new law, prison sentencing would also be automatic for rapists who commit sexual assault when victims are unconscious or under the influence and are therefore unable to give consent for sex.
The co-author of the new legislation, Bill Dodd, explained the reasoning behind the measure when it was being debated in the California Assembly:
If we let a rapist off with probation and little jail time, we re-victimize the victim, we dissuade other victims from coming forward and we send a message that sexual assault of an incapacitated victim is just no big deal.
The bill passed with a unanimous vote and awaits approval from California governor Jerry Brown.
The judge in Turner's case, circuit judge Aaron Persky, continues to receive heavy criticism and backlash since giving Turner a light sentence in June. Turner is being released Friday after only three months in jail for a crime which holds a maximum sentence of 14 years.
