Senate passes negotiated bill clarifying aggravated-assault language to cover intentional strangulation

The Senate passed Senate Bill 50, a negotiated measure that clarifies the aggravated-assault statute to address strangulation. Sponsor Sen. Kennedy said the amendment changes the standard from ‘‘likely to cause loss of consciousness’’ to conduct ‘‘knowingly and intentionally when an actor is strangulating an individual.’’

"SB 50 is a negotiated bill between prosecution and defense," Kennedy said, summarizing stakeholder agreement around the revised statutory language and inviting questions. He said the bill better reflects the culpability standard the parties sought to address.

Senators conducted a roll call after Kennedy waived summation and moved passage. Multiple senators praised the sponsor for reaching compromise across stakeholders; one colleague said Kennedy ‘‘worked really hard on this and was able to reach a compromise between various stakeholders.’’ The Senate recorded 27 yea votes, zero nays and two absences; the bill will be transmitted to the House for further consideration.

Floor debate was limited. Supporters described SB50 as addressing a difficult evidentiary and statutory question about how to define aggravated assault involving strangulation; supporters emphasized the negotiated nature of the language.

The bill now proceeds to the House under the standard interchamber transmission process.