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Introduced Version House Bill 2498 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 2498


(By Delegates Azinger and Craig)
[Introduced January 24, 2007; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]




A BILL to amend and reenact §61-8-9 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §61-8B-1 of said code, all relating to sexual offenses involving children; enhancing the penalty for indecent exposure where the victim is a child under the age of fourteen; increased penalties for second and subsequent offenses; expanding the definition of sexual contact to include the touching of the buttocks.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §61-8-9 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that §61-8B-1 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 8. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY AND DECENCY.

§61-8-9. Indecent exposure.

(a) A person is guilty of indecent exposure when such person intentionally exposes his or her sex organs or anus or the sex organs or anus of another person, or intentionally causes such exposure by another or engages in any overt act of sexual gratification, and does so under circumstances in which the person knows that the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in the county jail not more than ninety days, or fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars and confined in the county jail not more than ninety days.
(c) Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (a) of this section by intentionally exposing himself or herself to a person under fourteen years of age and the exposure was done for the purpose of sexual gratification, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or confined in jail not more than twelve months, or both. For a second offense, the person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than three years, or both. For a third or subsequent offense, the person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than three thousand dollars or imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than five years, or both.
ARTICLE 8B. SEXUAL OFFENSES.
§61-8B-1. Definition of terms.
In this article, unless a different meaning plainly is required:
(1) "Forcible compulsion" means:
(a) Physical force that overcomes such earnest resistance as might reasonably be expected under the circumstances; or
(b) Threat or intimidation, expressed or implied, placing a person in fear of immediate death or bodily injury to himself or herself or another person or in fear that he or she or another person will be kidnapped; or
(c) Fear by a person under sixteen years of age caused by intimidation, expressed or implied, by another person who is at least four years older than the victim.
For the purposes of this definition "resistance" includes physical resistance or any clear communication of the victim's lack of consent.
(2) "Married", for the purposes of this article in addition to its legal meaning, includes persons living together as husband and wife regardless of the legal status of their relationship.
(3) "Mentally defective" means that a person suffers from a mental disease or defect which renders that person incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct.
(4) "Mentally incapacitated" means that a person is rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his or her conduct as a result of the influence of a controlled or intoxicating substance administered to that person without his or her consent or as a result of any other act committed upon that person without his or her consent.
(5) "Physically helpless" means that a person is unconscious or for any reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act.
(6) "Sexual contact" means any intentional touching, either directly or through clothing, of the breasts, genitals, genital area, buttocks, or anus or any part of the sex organs of another person, or the breasts of a female or intentional touching of any part of another person's body by the actor's sex organs, where the victim is not married to the actor and the touching is done for the purpose of gratifying the sexual desire of either party.
(7) "Sexual intercourse" means any act between persons involving penetration, however slight, of the female sex organ by the male sex organ or involving contact between the sex organs of one person and the mouth or anus of another person.
(8) "Sexual intrusion" means any act between persons involving penetration, however slight, of the female sex organ or of the anus of any person by an object for the purpose of degrading or humiliating the person so penetrated or for gratifying the sexual desire of either party.
(9) "Bodily injury" means substantial physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical condition.
(10) "Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death, which causes serious or prolonged disfigurement, prolonged impairment of health or prolonged loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.
(11) "Deadly weapon" means any instrument, device or thing capable of inflicting death or serious bodily injury, and designed or specially adapted for use as a weapon, or possessed, carried or used as a weapon.
(12) "Forensic medical examination" means an examination provided to a possible victim of a violation of the provisions of this article by medical personnel qualified to gather evidence of the violation in a manner suitable for use in a court of law, to include: An examination for physical trauma; a determination of penetration or force; a patient interview; and the collection and evaluation of other evidence that is potentially relevant to the determination that a violation of the provisions of this article occurred and to the determination of the identity of the assailant.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create an enhanced penalty for indecent exposure where the victim is less than 14 years of age and the exposure is done for the purpose of sexual gratification. Additionally, expands the definition of sexual contact to include the touching of the buttocks.

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