Senate Bill 2626 Summary

• Increases penalty for simple domestic violence from a maximum $500 fine and 6 months imprisonment to a maximum $1,500 fine and 1 year imprisonment.

• Establishes that a third or subsequent simple domestic violence conviction becomes a felony punishable by 5 to 10 years imprisonment, disregarding convictions older than 7 years.

• Increases penalty for aggravated domestic violence to include a fine up to $3,000 and adds a minimum 2-year imprisonment requirement (previously no fine was specified).

• Expands aggravated domestic violence to include strangling or attempting to strangle a domestic relationship victim.

• Requires courts to consider as an aggravating factor whether the crime was committed in the presence or hearing of a child under 16 years old living in the victim's, perpetrator's, or offense location residence.