SB 929 – Modifies provisions regarding when a court must instruct the jury on an included criminal offense

• Sponsor: Dixon
• LR Number: 6039S.01I
• Committee: Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence
• Last Action: 4/21/2016 - Voted Do Pass S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
• Effective Date: August 28, 2016

Current Bill Summary

SB 929 - Under current law, the court is not be obligated to instruct the jury on an included offense unless there is a basis for a verdict acquitting the person of the offense charged and convicting the person of the included offense.

The court is obligated to instruct the jury with respect to a particular included offense only if there is a basis in the evidence for acquitting the person of the immediately higher included offense and there is a basis in the evidence for convicting the person of that particular included offense.

This act adds the word "rational" before the word "basis" in the provisions regarding when the court is and is not obligated to provide instructions on included offenses.

In addition, this act specifies that it is intended to abrogate certain case law and apply retroactively.

This provision is identical to a provision of HCS/SS/SCS/SB 663 (2016) and HB 1990 (2016).

MEGHAN LUECKE