2014 -- S 2542

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LC003992

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lynch, Lombardi, McCaffrey, Raptakis, and Walaska

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (by request)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 12-29-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-29 entitled "Domestic

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Violence Prevention Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-29-3. Law enforcement officers -- Duties and immunity. -- (a) The primary duty of

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law enforcement officers when responding to a domestic violence situation is to enforce the laws

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allegedly violated and to protect the victim.

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      (b) (1) When a law enforcement officer responds to a domestic violence situation and

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has probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed, the officer shall exercise arrest

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powers pursuant to sections §§12-7-3 and 12-7-4; provided, that the officer shall arrest and take

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into custody the alleged perpetrator of the crime when the officer has probable cause to believe

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that any of the following acts has occurred:

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      (i) A felonious assault;

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      (ii) An assault which that has resulted in bodily injury to the victim, whether or not the

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injury is observable by the responding officer;

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      (iii) Physical action which that was intended to cause another person reasonably to fear

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imminent serious bodily injury or death. "Bodily injury" means physical pain, illness, or an

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impairment of physical condition; or

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      (iv) Violation of a protective order and the violator has previous knowledge of the order

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and the terms of it;

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      (v) Violation of a no-contact order issued pursuant to section §12-29-4.

 

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      (2) The decision to arrest and charge shall not:

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      (i) Be dependent on the specific consent of the victim;

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      (ii) Consider the relationship of the parties; or

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      (iii) Be based solely on a request by the victim.

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      (3) An arrest without warrant made under this section shall be made within twenty-four

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(24) hours of the alleged crime.

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      (4) If an arrest without warrant cannot be made pursuant to this section, the officer shall

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advise the victim of the right to file a criminal complaint and shall seek a warrant for arrest if

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there is probable cause to do so.

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      (c) (1) When more than one family or household member involved in a domestic

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violence incident states a complaint, the officer shall investigate each complaint to determine

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whether there is probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. The officer shall not

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dismiss the incident by presuming two-(2) party (2) guilt.

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      (2) When the officer has probable cause to believe that family or household members

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have assaulted each other, the officer is not required to arrest both persons. The officer shall arrest

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the person whom the officer believes to be the primary physical aggressor.

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      (d) A law enforcement officer shall not be held liable for false arrest in any civil action,

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for an arrest based on probable cause or for enforcement in good faith of a court order issued

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pursuant to this chapter or pursuant to section §15-5-19, chapter 15 of title 15, or chapter 8.1 of

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title 8.

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      (e) It shall be the responsibility of the law enforcement officer at the scene of a domestic

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violence incident to provide immediate assistance to the victim. This assistance shall include, but

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not be limited to:

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      (1) Assisting the victim to obtain medical treatment if treatment is required, including

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transportation to an emergency medical treatment facility;

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      (2) Giving the victim notice of her or his right to obtain a protective order in family court

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pursuant to chapter 15 of title 15 or district court pursuant to chapter 8.1 of title 8 as appropriate

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according to the relationship of the parties. This notice shall be provided by handing the victim a

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copy of the following statement written in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Cambodian, Hmong,

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Laotian, Vietnamese, and French and by reading the notice to that person when possible:

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      "If you are in need of medical treatment, you have the right to have the officer present

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drive you to the nearest hospital or otherwise assist you.

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      "If you believe that police protection is needed for your physical safety, you have the

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right to have the officer present remain at the scene until you and your children can leave or until

 

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your safety is otherwise obtained.

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      "You have the right to file a criminal complaint with the responding officer or your local

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police department if the officer has not arrested the perpetrator.

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      "Married/blood relatives/children in common. If your attacker is your spouse, former

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spouse, person to whom you are related by blood or marriage, or if you are not married to your

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attacker, but have a child in common, you have the right to go to family court and ask the court to

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issue:

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      (i) An order restraining your attacker from abusing you or your minor child;

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      (ii) An order awarding you exclusive use of your domicile; and

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      (iii) An order awarding you custody of your minor child(ren).

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      "Unmarried. If you are not married or related to your attacker, but have resided with him

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or her within the past three (3) years, or you or your attacker are in, or have been in, a substantive

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dating or engagement relationship within the past six (6) months one year, you have the right to

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go to district court and request:

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      (i) An order restraining your attacker from abusing you; and

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      (ii) An order directing your attacker to leave your household, unless he or she has the

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sole legal interest in the household;"";

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      (3) Informing the victim of available services; and

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      (4) In cases where the officer has determined that no cause exists for an arrest, assistance

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shall also include:

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      (i) Remaining at the scene as long as there is danger to the safety of the person or until

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the person is able to leave the dwelling. The officer shall transport the person if no reasonable

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transportation is available; and

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      (ii) Informing the person that she or he has the right to file a criminal complaint with the

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responding officer or the local police department.

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      (f) An officer responding to a domestic violence call shall complete a domestic violence

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report pursuant to section §12-29-8.

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      (g) (1) It shall be the responsibility of the attorney general to develop a model Uniform

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Policy for Police Response to Domestic Violence which is consistent with the provisions of this

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section. This written policy shall be developed after conferring with the staff of the department of

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human services' domestic violence unit and with the council on domestic violence and shall be

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made available to any law enforcement agency.

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      (2) Each law enforcement agency shall develop a Policy for Police Response to

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Domestic Violence which is consistent with the Uniform Policy for Police Response to Domestic

 

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Violence developed by the attorney general and shall file a copy of the policy with the attorney

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general within sixty (60) days of receiving the model policy.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACT

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     This act would amend the notice provided by a law enforcement officer to a victim of

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domestic violence. The amendment to the notice is a change in the length of time from six (6)

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months to one year that one could be in a dating or engagement relationship to qualify under the

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domestic violence statute as a victim of domestic violence.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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