Senate Judiciary Committee Amendment
S 866 - Session 125 (2023-2024)
SVPA

The Committee on Judiciary proposes the following amendment (SJ-866.SW0002S):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 44-48-30(9) and inserting:

 (9) "Likely to engage in acts of sexual violence" means that a person is predisposedperson's propensity to engage in commit acts of sexual violence and more probably than not will is of such a degree engage in acts of sexual violence to such a degree as to pose a menace to the health and safety of others.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 44-48-20 and inserting:

 Section 44-48-20. The General Assembly finds that a mentally abnormal and extremely dangerous group of sexually violent predators exists who require involuntary civil commitment in a secure facility for long-term control, care, and treatment. The General Assembly further finds that the likelihood these sexually violent predators will engage in repeated acts of sexual violence if not treated for their mental conditions is significant. Because the existing civil commitment process is inadequate to address the special needs of sexually violent predators and the risks that they present to society, the General Assembly has determined that a separate, involuntary civil commitment process for the long-term control, care, and treatment of sexually violent predators is necessary. The General Assembly also determines that, because of the nature of the mental conditions from which sexually violent predators suffer and the dangers they present, it is necessary to house involuntarily-committed sexually violent predators in secure facilities separate from persons involuntarily committed under traditional civil commitment statutes. The civil commitment of sexually violent predators is not intended to stigmatize the mentally ill community.