S.B. 837 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 837 By: Williams Criminal Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault), Penal Code , a person commits an aggravated sexual assault if the victim is younger than 14 years of age or older than 65 years of age. However, this provision fails to include disabled individuals in the protected class of sexual assault prosecutions. Senate Bill 837 includes disabled individuals as a specially-protected class of victims for the purposes of aggravated sexual assault prosecutions. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 837 amends the Penal Code to include disabled individuals as a specially-protected class of victims for the purposes of aggravated sexual assault prosecutions. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.