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Oregon Lawmakers Punt on a Bill That Sought to Reduce Criminal Sentences for Survivors of Domestic Violence "We’re not there today and we have a lot of work to do before we can get there."
Cherry blossoms along the Portland waterfront. (Mick Hangland-Skill)
Chief sponsor: Rep. Anna Williams (D-Hood River).
What it would do: HB 2825 seeks to allow Oregon judges the discretion to reduce the sentence of a person convicted of a crime, if that person was subject to physical, psychological or sexual abuse by an intimate partner or family member. In order for the defendant to qualify for the sentence reduction, the abuse must have been a contributing factor to the criminal behavior, and the mandatory minimum sentence must be "unduly harsh" given the circumstances.