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Introduced Version Senate Bill 456 History

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

Senate Bill No. 456

(By Senators Laird, Browning, Unger, Kessler (Mr. President), Jenkins, Klempa, Beach and Barnes)

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[Introduced January 30, 2012; referred to the Committee on he Judiciary.]

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A BILL to amend and reenact §61-8D-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to making it a misdemeanor for child neglect which creates a substantial risk of bodily injury; and penalties.

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 parent, guardian or custodian shall neglect neglects a child and by such neglect causes said a child bodily injury, as such term is defined in section one, article eight-b of this chapter, then such 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 parent, guardian or custodian shall neglect neglects a child and by such neglect causes said a child serious bodily injury, as such term is defined in section one, article eight-b of this chapter, then such parent, guardian or custodian shall be is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less that $300 nor more than $3,000 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) The provisions of this section shall do not apply 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 do not apply 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 $3,000 and confined to the custody of the Division of Corrections for not less than one nor more than five years.

    (f) Any person who neglects a child and by the 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.



    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a misdemeanor offense, with penalties, 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.

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