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• Introduced by Rep. Tom Meyer (R) on October 6, 2005, to establish a new crime of torturing another person subject to up to life in prison. “Torture” would be defined as “an act specifically intended to inflict great bodily injury or severe mental pain or suffering upon another person within (the perpetrator’s) custody or physical control.” Under current law, commission of such an act could be prosecuted under other criminal statutes, but there is no specific “torture” crime.
  • Referred to the House Judiciary Committee on October 6, 2005.
    • Reported in the House on November 1, 2005, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on November 1, 2005, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details of the definition and adds an intent clause, requiring that it is the violator’s intent to cause cruel or extreme physical or mental pain and suffering. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on November 1, 2005.
• Passed in the House (105 to 0) on November 1, 2005, to establish a new crime of torturing another person, subject to up to life in prison. “Torture” would be defined as an intentialonal act that causes cruel or extreme physical or mental pain and suffering, inflicts great bodily injury, or inflicts severe mental pain or suffering upon another person within the violator's custody or physical control. Under current law, commission of such an act could be prosecuted under other criminal statutes, but there is no specific “torture” crime. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on November 2, 2005.
  • Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on November 2, 2005.
    • Reported in the Senate on November 30, 2005, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on December 1, 2005, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance of the bill as previously described. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on December 1, 2005.
• Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 6, 2005, to establish a new crime of torturing another person, subject to up to life in prison. “Torture” would be defined as an intentialonal act that causes cruel or extreme physical or mental pain and suffering, inflicts great bodily injury, or inflicts severe mental pain or suffering upon another person within the violator's custody or physical control. Under current law, commission of such an act could be prosecuted under other criminal statutes, but there is no specific “torture” crime. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on December 6, 2005.
• Passed in the House (105 to 0) on December 13, 2005, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]