2023 -- S 0814

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LC001472

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN

     

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, DiMario, Lauria, and Murray

     Date Introduced: March 23, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 40-11-6.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-11 entitled "Abused

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and Neglected Children" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     40-11-6.1. Penalty for failure to report or perform required act.

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     (a) Any person, official, physician, except the persons identified in subsection (b) of this

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section, or institution required by this chapter to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect

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or to perform any other act who knowingly fails to do so or who knowingly prevents any person

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acting reasonably from doing so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof,

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shall be subject to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisonment for not more

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than one year or both. In addition, any person, official, physician, or institution who knowingly

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fails to perform any act required by this chapter or who knowingly prevents another person from

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performing a required act shall be civilly liable for the damages proximately caused by that failure.

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     (b) Any coach, teacher, school administrator, or person in a position of authority who

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knowingly fails to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect, sexual assault or battery

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involving a child or who knowingly fails to perform any other act required by law for the protection

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or safety of a child, or who knowingly prevents any person acting reasonably from doing so, shall

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be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not less than five thousand

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dollars ($5,000), nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or to imprisonment for not more

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than five (5) years, or both.

 

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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 HUMAN SERVICES -- ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN

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     This act would require that any coach, teacher, school administrator, or person in a position

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of authority who knowingly fails to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect, sexual assault

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or battery involving a child or who knowingly fails to perform any other act required by law for the

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protection or safety of a child would be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction, would be subject

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to a fine of not less the five thousand dollars ($5,000), nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000),

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or to imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or both.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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