Text of AK HB 24 (2026)

HB0024a -1- HB 24 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS0250\N HOUSE BILL NO. 24 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION BY REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON Introduced: 1/10/25 Referred: Prefiled A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act relating to aggravating factors considered at sentencing." 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2 * Section 1. AS 12.55.155(c) is amended to read: 3 (c) The following factors shall be considered by the sentencing court if proven 4 in accordance with this section, and may allow imposition of a sentence above the 5 presumptive range set out in AS 12.55.125: 6 (1) a person, other than an accomplice, sustained physical injury as a 7 direct result of the defendant's conduct; 8 (2) the defendant's conduct during the commission of the offense 9 manifested deliberate cruelty to another person; 10 (3) the defendant was the leader of a group of three or more persons 11 who participated in the offense; 12 (4) the defendant employed a dangerous instrument in furtherance of 13 the offense; 14 (5) the defendant knew or reasonably should have known that the 15 34-LS0250\N HB 24 -2- HB0024a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] victim of the offense was particularly vulnerable or incapable of resistance due to 1 advanced age, disability, ill health, homelessness, consumption of alcohol or drugs, or 2 extreme youth or was for any other reason substantially incapable of exercising 3 normal physical or mental powers of resistance; 4 (6) the defendant's conduct created a risk of imminent physical injury 5 to three or more persons, other than accomplices; 6 (7) a prior felony conviction considered for the purpose of invoking a 7 presumptive range under this chapter was of a more serious class of offense than the 8 present offense; 9 (8) the defendant's prior criminal history includes conduct involving 10 aggravated assaultive behavior, repeated instances of assaultive behavior, repeated 11 instances of cruelty to animals proscribed under AS 11.61.140(a)(1) and (3) - (5), or a 12 combination of assaultive behavior and cruelty to animals proscribed under 13 AS 11.61.140(a)(1) and (3) - (5); in this paragraph, "aggravated assaultive behavior" 14 means assault that is a felony under AS 11.41, or a similar provision in another 15 jurisdiction; 16 (9) the defendant knew that the offense involved more than one victim; 17 (10) the conduct constituting the offense was among the most serious 18 conduct included in the definition of the offense; 19 (11) the defendant committed the offense under an agreement that the 20 defendant either pay or be paid for the commission of the offense, and the pecuniary 21 incentive was beyond that inherent in the offense itself; 22 (12) the defendant was on release under AS 12.30 for another felony 23 charge or conviction or for a misdemeanor charge or conviction having assault as a 24 necessary element; 25 (13) the defendant knowingly directed the conduct constituting the 26 offense at an active officer of the court or at an active or former judicial officer, 27 prosecuting attorney, law enforcement officer, correctional employee, firefighter, 28 emergency medical technician, paramedic, ambulance attendant, or other emergency 29 responder during or because of the exercise of official duties; 30 (14) the defendant was a member of an organized group of five or 31 34-LS0250\N HB0024a -3- HB 24 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] more persons, and the offense was committed to further the criminal objectives of the 1 group; 2 (15) the defendant has three or more prior felony convictions; 3 (16) the defendant's criminal conduct was designed to obtain 4 substantial pecuniary gain and the risk of prosecution and punishment for the conduct 5 is slight; 6 (17) the offense was one of a continuing series of criminal offenses 7 committed in furtherance of illegal business activities from which the defendant 8 derives a major portion of the defendant's income; 9 (18) the offense was a felony 10 (A) specified in AS 11.41 and was committed against a spouse, 11 a former spouse, or a member of the social unit made up of those living 12 together in the same dwelling as the defendant; 13 (B) specified in AS 11.41.410 - 11.41.458 and the defendant 14 has engaged in the same or other conduct prohibited by a provision of 15 AS 11.41.410 - 11.41.460 involving the same or another victim; 16 (C) specified in AS 11.41 that is a crime involving domestic 17 violence and was committed in the physical presence or hearing of a child 18 under 16 years of age who was, at the time of the offense, living within the 19 residence of the victim, the residence of the perpetrator, or the residence where 20 the crime involving domestic violence occurred; 21 (D) specified in AS 11.41 and was committed against a person 22 with whom the defendant has a dating relationship or with whom the defendant 23 has engaged in a sexual relationship; or 24 (E) specified in AS 11.41.434 - 11.41.458 or AS 11.61.128 and 25 the defendant was 10 or more years older than the victim; 26 (19) the defendant's prior criminal history includes an adjudication as a 27 delinquent for conduct that would have been a felony if committed by an adult; 28 (20) the defendant was on furlough under AS 33.30 or on parole or 29 probation for another felony charge or conviction that would be considered a prior 30 felony conviction under AS 12.55.145(a)(1)(B); 31 34-LS0250\N HB 24 -4- HB0024a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] (21) the defendant has a criminal history of repeated instances of 1 conduct violative of criminal laws, whether punishable as felonies or misdemeanors, 2 similar in nature to the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced under this 3 section; 4 (22) the defendant knowingly directed the conduct constituting the 5 offense at a victim because of that person's race, sex, sexual orientation or gender 6 identity, color, creed, physical or mental disability, ancestry, or national origin; 7 (23) the defendant is convicted of an offense specified in AS 11.71 and 8 (A) the offense involved the delivery of a controlled substance 9 under circumstances manifesting an intent to distribute the substance as part of 10 a commercial enterprise; or 11 (B) at the time of the conduct resulting in the conviction, the 12 defendant was caring for or assisting in the care of a child under 10 years of 13 age; 14 (24) the defendant is convicted of an offense specified in AS 11.71 and 15 the offense involved the transportation of controlled substances into the state; 16 (25) the defendant is convicted of an offense specified in AS 11.71 and 17 the offense involved large quantities of a controlled substance; 18 (26) the defendant is convicted of an offense specified in AS 11.71 and 19 the offense involved the distribution of a controlled substance that had been 20 adulterated with a toxic substance; 21 (27) the defendant, being 18 years of age or older, 22 (A) is legally accountable under AS 11.16.110(2) for the 23 conduct of a person who, at the time the offense was committed, was under 18 24 years of age and at least three years younger than the defendant; or 25 (B) is aided or abetted in planning or committing the offense by 26 a person who, at the time the offense was committed, was under 18 years of 27 age and at least three years younger than the defendant; 28 (28) the victim of the offense is a person who provided testimony or 29 evidence related to a prior offense committed by the defendant; 30 (29) the defendant committed the offense for the benefit of, at the 31 34-LS0250\N HB0024a -5- HB 24 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang; 1 (30) the defendant is convicted of an offense specified in AS 11.41.410 2 - 11.41.455, and the defendant knowingly supplied alcohol or a controlled substance to 3 the victim in furtherance of the offense with the intent to make the victim 4 incapacitated; in this paragraph, "incapacitated" has the meaning given in 5 AS 11.41.470; 6 (31) the defendant's prior criminal history includes convictions for five 7 or more crimes in this or another jurisdiction that are class A misdemeanors under the 8 law of this state, or having elements similar to a class A misdemeanor; two or more 9 convictions arising out of a single continuous episode are considered a single 10 conviction; however, an offense is not a part of a continuous episode if committed 11 while attempting to escape or resist arrest or if it is an assault on a uniformed or 12 otherwise clearly identified peace officer or correctional employee; notice and denial 13 of convictions are governed by AS 12.55.145(b) - (d); 14 (32) the offense is a violation of AS 11.41 or AS 11.46.400 and the 15 offense occurred on school grounds, on a school bus, at a school-sponsored event, or 16 in the administrative offices of a school district if students are educated at that office; 17 in this paragraph, 18 (A) "school bus" has the meaning given in AS 11.71.900; 19 (B) "school district" has the meaning given in AS 47.07.063; 20 (C) "school grounds" has the meaning given in AS 11.71.900; 21 (33) the offense was a felony specified in AS 11.41.410 - 11.41.455, 22 the defendant had been previously diagnosed as having or having tested positive for 23 HIV or AIDS, and the offense either (A) involved penetration, or (B) exposed the 24 victim to a risk or a fear that the offense could result in the transmission of HIV or 25 AIDS; in this paragraph, "HIV" and "AIDS" have the meanings given in 26 AS 18.15.310; 27 (34) the defendant committed the offense on, or to affect persons or 28 property on, the premises of a recognized shelter or facility providing services to 29 victims of domestic violence or sexual assault; 30 (35) the defendant knowingly directed the conduct constituting the 31 34-LS0250\N HB 24 -6- HB0024a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] offense at a victim because that person was 65 years of age or older; 1 (36) the defendant committed the offense at a health care facility and 2 knowingly directed the conduct constituting the offense at a medical professional 3 during or because of the medical professional's exercise of professional duties; in this 4 paragraph, 5 (A) "health care facility" has the meaning given in 6 AS 18.07.111; 7 (B) "medical professional" has the meaning given in 8 AS 12.55.135(k); 9 (37) the defendant knowingly caused the victim to become 10 unconscious by means of a dangerous instrument; in this paragraph, "dangerous 11 instrument" has the meaning given in AS 11.81.900(b)(16)(B). 12 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 13 read: 14 APPLICABILITY. AS 12.55.155(c), as amended by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to 15 offenses committed on or after the effective date of this Act. 16