A House Subcommittee voted unanimously on Tuesday for legislation by State Rep. Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough) to make child rape a capital offense punishable by death or life imprisonment. It now heads to the House Judiciary Committee.
"This crime has a devastating effect on children,” said Rep. Hill. "Statistics show that by the time a child sexual offender is caught for the first time, they have usually molested six to eight children. The monsters who commit this crime deserve the most severe punishment meted out by our justice system.”
The bill elevates child rape to a Class A felony and stipulates that sentencing be conducted using the same procedure provided for offense of murder in the first degree.
Rep. Hill represents the 7th House District, which includes Jonesborough, Teleford, Leesburg and a portion of Johnson City. He is a member of the House Republican Caucus Whip Leadership Team and sits on the House Committee on Children and Family Affairs and the House Transportation Committee.