The House Judiciary Committee has approved a bill adding several violent crimes to a list for parole calculation.
Ashley McDonald with the South Dakota Department of Corrections testified in favor of House Bill 1054. She says the bill clarifies one form of assault and makes other revisions based on past legislative sessions.
"The crimes that it adds are fluid assault by a jail inmate - currently fluid assault by a DOC inmate is considered violent, but not if it’s done by a jail inmate. Aggravated criminal battery of an unborn child. That used to be called aggravated assault, but in 2012, the legislature changed it to aggravated battery. Similar to aggravated battery of an infant used to be called aggravated assault, now it’s aggravated battery. And then, assault to cause serious, permanent disfigurement – that’s a new definition for an assault, felony-level assault, that the legislature added last year. So, we’re seeking to add that to 24-15A-32,” McDonald says.
No opponents testified at the hearing. The Judiciary Committee advances the bill to the full chamber on a 12-nothing vote.