H. B. 3110


(By Delegates Sobonya, Reynolds, Craig,
Morgan, C. Miller, Stephens and Duke)
[Introduced January 9, 2008 ; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]



A BILL to amend and reenact §49-6A-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing criminal penalties for failing to report child abuse.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §49-6A-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 6A. REPORTS OF CHILDREN SUSPECTED TO BE ABUSED OR NEGLECTED.

§49-6A-8. Failure to report; penalty.
Any person, official or institution required by this article to report a case involving a child known or suspected to be abused or neglected, or required by section five of this article to forward a copy of a report of serious injury, who knowingly fails to do so or knowingly prevents another person acting reasonably from doing so, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in the county jail not more than ten thirty days or fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars, or both.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase criminal penalties for failing to report child abuse.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.