More New Laws to Become Effective July 1

June 17, 2011
By Aaron LeClair

While the 60th Wyoming Legislature convened in March, state lawmakers had passed numerous bills and amendments that become laws on July 1.

The legislation includes Senate File 132, which makes strangulation a felony:

SF 132 — Making strangulation a felony

SF 132 creates Statute 6-2-509, which makes strangulation of a household member a felony.

Strangulation is defined as “intentionally and knowingly or recklessly causing or attempting to cause body injury or impeding the normal breathing or circulation of blood, by applying pressure to the throat or neck, or by blocking the nose or mouth.”

Up to this point, strangulation has been classified under misdemeanor battery of a household member.

Bohling said SF 132 would help with the prosecution of domestic violence cases.

“The problem that we’ve run into … for many, many years is that … the really dangerous abusers in domestic violence situations,” he said, “are the ones that resort to strangling their victim in arguments.”

People who strangle their victims are more likely to kill — whether intentionally or unintentionally — than those who beat their spouses or loved ones, Bohling said.

“It’s a type of crime that’s very, very dangerous when it goes wrong,” he said. “And … it’s very, very difficult to prosecute as a serious crime without this statute in place.”