Introduced Version
House Bill 2167 History
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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 2167
(By Delegates Fleischauer, Ireland, Manypenny, Marcum,
Miley, Skaff, Stowers and R. Phillips)
[Introduced February 13, 2013; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §61-8D-4 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to creating the misdemeanor
offense for child neglect by a parent, guardian or custodian
which creates asubstantial risk of bodily injury; penalties;
and exceptions.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §61-8D-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 8D. CHILD ABUSE.
§61-8D-4. Child neglect resulting in injury; child neglect
creating risk of injury; criminal penalties.
(a) If any a parent, guardian or custodian shall neglect
neglects a child and by such neglect cause said causes a child
bodily injury, as such term is defined in section one, article
eight-b of this chapter, then such the parent, guardian or
custodian shall be is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or
committed to the custody of the Division of Corrections for not
less than one nor more than three years, or in the discretion of
the court, be confined in the county jail for not more than one
year, or both such fine and confinement or imprisonment.
(b) If any a parent, guardian or custodian shall neglect
neglects a child and by such neglect cause said the child serious
bodily injury, as such term is defined in section one, article
eight-b of this chapter, then such the parent, guardian or
custodian shall be is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $1,000
dollars or committed to the custody of the Division of Corrections
for not less than one nor more than ten years, or both such fine
and imprisonment fined and imprisoned.
_____(c) If a parent, guardian or custodian grossly neglects a
child and by that gross neglect creates a substantial risk of
serious bodily injury, as defined in section one, article eight-b
of this chapter, or of death to the child is guilty of a felony
and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $3,000
and confined to the custody of the Division of Corrections for not
less than one nor more than five years.
_____(d) If a parent, guardian or custodian neglects a child and by
that neglect creates a substantial risk of bodily injury, as
defined in section one, article eight-b of this chapter, to the child is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be fined not more than $1,000 or shall be confined in jail
for not more than one year or both fined and confined.
_____(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply:
(1) If the neglect by the parent, guardian or custodian is
due primarily to a lack of financial means on the part of such
parent, guardian or custodian;
(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply
(2) To any parent, guardian or custodian who fails or refuses,
or allows another person to fail or refuse, to supply a child under
the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian or custodian
with necessary medical care, when such medical care conflicts with
the tenets and practices of a recognized religious denomination or
order of which such parent, guardian or custodian is an adherent or
member.
(e) Any person who grossly neglects a child and by the gross
neglect creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or of
death to the child is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined not more than three thousand dollars and
confined to the custody of the division of corrections for not less
than one nor more than five years.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to add a misdemeanor for
child neglect creating a substantial risk of bodily injury.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.