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California Assembly Republicans torched the Democrats on the chamber’s Public Safety Committee for opposing a bill to raise penalties for "raping a disabled child."
The Golden State lower chamber GOP blasted the Public Safety Committee Democrats after they voted down Bill 808 proposed by Republican Assemblyman Devon Mathis to raise penalties for sexually assaulting a "developmentally disabled minor."
"Public Safety Cmte Dems are opposing a bill to increase penalties for raping a disabled child, which can be as low as 3 years in prison," the California Assembly GOP tweeted.
TOP CALIFORNIA DEM DEFENDS CONTROVERSIAL NO VOTE ON BILL TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT
The Golden State lower chamber GOP blasted Public Safety Committee Democrats after they voted down Bill 808 proposed by Republican Assemblyman Devon Mathis to raise penalties for sexually assaulting a "developmentally disabled minor." (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)
"Earlier, they unanimously supported higher penalties for property crime (against wealthy victims)," the Republicans added.
"Disgusting. There's no other word for it."
Public Safety Committee Chairman Reggie Jones-Sawyer told Fox News Digital current "law contains penalties with nuanced approaches to sex offenses, depending on the circumstances, including developmental disabilities and age differences."
"Rape of a developmentally disabled person is already punishable by up to eight years in state prison," Jones-Sawyer said. "Increased penalties apply where the victim of rape is a child and force or fear is used."
"The act is punishable by up to 13 years in state prison if the child was under 14 years of age and by up to 11 years if the child was 14 years of age or older," he said.
The bill raising penalties for raping a disabled child is the latest GOP-backed sexual crime bill struck down in the Democrat-controlled chamber.
California Assembly Public Safety Committee Chairman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, a Democrat. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Image)
Jones-Sawyer, who recently helped kill a Republican-backed state bill that would have increased criminal penalties for those found guilty of various forms of sexual assault, including rape, explained his decision amid widespread backlash.
"The bill was broad, recategorizing non-violent crimes, and even misdemeanors, as violent felony acts," Jones-Sawyer previously told Fox News Digital. "This is another attempt to revive a version of the three-strikes mentality of mass incarceration, which was a failed policy. We need to look at ways to reform our criminal justice system while advocating for diversion and rehabilitative programs that end crime cycles of all categories."
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The committee chairman along with the rest of the panel's Democrats voted last month against Bill 229, which would classify domestic violence, human trafficking and several sex offenses as a violent crime in the state.
As a result, the bill failed to make it out of committee despite the committee's two Republicans voting in support of the legislation.
Fox News Digital's Aaron Kliegman contributed reporting.
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