[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1346 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1346

 To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the penalties for 
            certain offenses in which the victim is a child.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 30, 1997

    Mr. Torricelli (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the penalties for 
            certain offenses in which the victim is a child.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Joan's Law Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. DEATH OR LIFE IN PRISON FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES WHOSE VICTIMS ARE 
              CHILDREN.

    Section 3559 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(d) Death or Life Imprisonment for Crimes Against Children.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is convicted 
of a Federal offense that is a serious violent felony (as defined in 
subsection (c)) or a violation of section 2251 shall, unless a sentence 
of death is imposed, be sentenced to imprisonment for life, if the 
victim of the offense--
            ``(1) is less than 14 years of age at the time of the 
        offense; and
            ``(2) dies as a result of the offense.''.
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