Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §253, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2001, c. 383, §20 and affected by §156, is repealed.

Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §1251, 2nd ¶, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 536, §1, is amended to read:

In setting the length of imprisonment, if the victim is a child who had not in fact attained the age of 6 years at the time the crime was committed, a court shall assign special weight to this objective fact in determining the basic sentence in the first step of the sentencing process and to any subjective victim impact in exercising its sentencing discretion. The court shall assign special weight to any subjective victim impact in determining the final sentence in the 2nd and final step in the sentencing process. Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to restrict a court in setting the length of imprisonment from considering the age of the victim in other circumstances when relevant.

Sec. 3. 17-A MRSA §1252, sub-§5-B, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 536, §2, is amended to read:

5-B. In using a sentencing alternative involving a term of imprisonment for a person convicted of the attempted murder, manslaughter, elevated aggravated assault or aggravated assault of a child who had not in fact attained the age of 6 years at the time the crime was committed, a court shall assign special weight to this objective fact in determining the basic term of imprisonment as the first step in the sentencing process and to any subjective victim impact in exercising its sentencing discretion. The court shall assign special weight to any subjective victim impact in determining the maximum period of incarceration in the 2nd step in the sentencing process. The court may not suspend that portion of the maximum term of imprisonment based on objective or subjective victim impact in arriving at the final sentence as the 3rd step in the sentencing process. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to restrict a court in setting a sentence from considering the age of the victim in other circumstances when relevant.

Sec. 4. 17-A MRSA §1252-C, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 69, §1, is repealed.

Sec. 5. 17-A MRSA §1252-D is enacted to read:

§1252-D.__Sentencing procedure relating to imposition of

imprisonment