Overview
- The Justice and Legislative Studies committees approved the revised bill 33–0 and sent it to the full Senate for a vote scheduled for today.
- The proposal sets a uniform national base penalty of 15 to 25 years and adds aggravating factors that can raise prison terms to a maximum of 42 years.
- Extortion would be prosecuted ex officio with expanded protections for victims, including options for anonymous complaints and remote proceedings.
- Early-release and other sentence-reduction benefits are barred for extortion; public officials face 10 to 20 years for failing to report and an extra 3 to 5 years if prison staff enable the crime.
- Prisons must block illicit communications within 180 days, introducing phones would carry 6 to 12 years in prison, and states are required to stand up specialized extortion units, using anti-kidnapping teams in the interim.