Require Jury to Determine Prior Convictions

Changed the decision-maker for determining prior convictions from the trial judge to a jury, requiring a separate jury hearing to decide if the defendant has qualifying prior convictions.

Added specific jury instructions requiring the jury to consider prior conviction admissions only for credibility purposes, not as proof of guilt for the habitual criminal enhancement.

Clarified that the prosecution must prove prior convictions beyond a reasonable doubt using evidence independent of the defendant's admission during the substantive trial.

Added language requiring prosecutors to prove prior convictions using evidence other than the defendant's testimony, even if the defendant admits to them.

Clarified that prior convictions can only be used to affect the defendant's credibility regarding the current substantive offense, not as independent proof of guilt.

Updated document header to reflect 'Revised' status instead of 'Rerevised' with adjusted amendment adoption language.

Updated header information to reflect 'Rerevised' status with all amendments adopted in the second house

Added bill summary section explaining the bill's purpose and current status

Changed reading status from 'Final Act' to '3rd Reading Unamended' and '2nd Reading Unamended' with specific dates

Updated committee listings and sponsorship information formatting

Added legislative signature blocks and approval documentation

Changed the authority for determining prior convictions from judges to juries, requiring jury determination of whether defendants have prior qualifying felony convictions.

Added requirement that prosecutors must prove prior convictions beyond a reasonable doubt using evidence independent of the defendant's testimony.

Added requirement that prior convictions must arise from separate and distinct criminal episodes to qualify for habitual offender sentencing.

Corrected formatting and text errors in the original bill, including fixing garbled text and improving clarity of legal provisions.

Changed the decision-maker for prior conviction determinations from the judge to a jury, requiring a separate jury proceeding to decide if the defendant has qualifying prior convictions.

Added requirements that the jury must determine whether prior convictions arose from separate and distinct criminal episodes, not just whether the convictions exist.

Clarified that the prosecution must prove prior convictions beyond a reasonable doubt using evidence independent of any admissions made by the defendant during their testimony.

Added $17,500 in state funding for the 2025-26 fiscal year to cover court costs, jury expenses, and related implementation expenses.

Established that the act applies to habitual criminal proceedings initiated on or after its effective date.

Removed jury instruction language requiring the prosecution to prove prior convictions independently of an admission, which previously mandated a specific evidentiary standard for prior conviction cases.

Changed bill status from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' to reflect that all House amendments have been incorporated.

Added requirement that juries must determine whether prior convictions arose out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, not just whether they were separately brought and tried.

Changed the statute to repeal subsection (6) regarding late discovery of prior convictions, which previously allowed prosecutors to file new information for prior convictions discovered after indictment.

Modified jury instructions to require proof beyond a reasonable doubt that prior convictions arose from separate and distinct criminal episodes, in addition to proving the convictions themselves.

Added language indicating the bill includes an appropriation, though no specific amount is listed in this excerpt.