2019 -- S 0028

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LC000396

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- CHILDREN -- CONFINEMENT IN MOTOR

VEHICLES PROHIBITED

     

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Lombardi, McCaffrey, Archambault, and Lynch
Prata

     Date Introduced: January 15, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-9-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-9 entitled "Children" is

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-9-5. Cruelty to or neglect of child.

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     (a) Every person having the custody or control of any child under the age of eighteen (18)

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years who shall abandon that child, or who shall treat the child with gross or habitual cruelty, or

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who shall wrongfully cause or permit that child to be an habitual sufferer for want of food,

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clothing, proper care, or oversight, or who shall use or permit the use of that child for any wanton,

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cruel, or improper purpose, or who shall compel, cause, or permit that child to do any wanton or

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wrongful act, or who shall cause or permit the home of that child to be the resort of lewd,

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drunken, wanton, or dissolute persons, or who by reason of neglect, cruelty, drunkenness, or

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depravity, shall render the home of that child a place in which it is unfit for that child to live, or

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who shall neglect or refuse to pay the reasonable charges for the support of that child, whenever

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the child shall be placed by him or her in the custody of, or be assigned by any court to, any

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individual, association, or corporation, shall be guilty of a felony and shall for every such offense

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be imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than three (3) years, or be fined not exceeding

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one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, and the child may be proceeded against as a neglected

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child under the provisions of chapter 1 of title 14.

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     (b) In addition to any penalty provided in this section, any person convicted or placed on

 

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probation for this offense may be required to receive psychosociological counseling in child

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growth, care and development as a part of that sentence or probation. For purposes of this section,

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and in accordance with § 40-11-15, a parent or guardian practicing his or her religious beliefs

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which differ from general community standards who does not provide specified medical

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treatment for a child shall not, for that reason alone, be considered an abusive or negligent parent

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or guardian; provided, the provisions of this section shall not: (1) exempt a parent or guardian

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from having committed the offense of cruelty or neglect if the child is harmed under the

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provisions of (a) above; (2) exempt the department from the provisions of § 40-11-5; or (3)

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prohibit the department from filing a petition, pursuant to the provisions of § 40-11-15, for

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medical services for a child, where his or her health requires it.

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     SECTION 2. Section 31-22-22.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-22 entitled

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"Miscellaneous Rules" is hereby repealed.

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     31-22-22.1. Child passenger protection -- Warnings of hazard and risk.

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     (a) All law enforcement officers in this state are authorized to provide a verbal warning to

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any person who shall be deemed to have left a child under the age of seven (7) unattended in a

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motor vehicle. The warning shall apprise the offending person of the dangers of this practice

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including, but not limited to, the risk of kidnapping and/or abduction, and the dangers which may

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result from the accumulation of excessive temperatures within the motor vehicle.

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     (b) No fine or sanction shall be imposed for a violation of this section, other than a verbal

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warning, and no record of any kind shall be maintained of the warning.

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     SECTION 3. 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 OFFENSES -- CHILDREN -- CONFINEMENT IN MOTOR

VEHICLES PROHIBITED

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     This act would repeal the requirement that law enforcement officers issue only warnings

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of the risks to persons leaving a child under the age of seven (7) unattended in a motor vehicle.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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