Senate Bill 2428

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2428

    By Senator Forman





    32-1353-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to child abuse; amending s.

  3         827.03, F.S.; modifying definitions; providing

  4         penalties for child abuse; providing penalties

  5         for malicious punishment of a child; increasing

  6         penalties for subsequent acts; providing an

  7         effective date.

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

10

11         Section 1.  Section 827.03, Florida Statutes, is

12  amended to read:

13         827.03  Abuse, aggravated abuse, and neglect of a

14  child; penalties.--

15         (1)  "Child abuse" means:

16         (a)  Intentional infliction of physical or mental

17  injury upon a child;

18         (b)  An intentional act that could reasonably be

19  expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child; or

20         (c)  Active encouragement of any person to commit an

21  act that results or could reasonably be expected to result in

22  physical or mental injury to a child.

23

24  A person who knowingly or willfully abuses a child and causes

25  mental injury or slight bodily harm to the child commits a

26  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.

27  775.082 or s. 775.083. A person who knowingly or willfully

28  abuses a child and causes moderate bodily harm without causing

29  great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent

30  disfigurement to the child commits a felony of the third

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2428
    32-1353-00




  1  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

  2  s. 775.084.

  3         (2)  "Aggravated child abuse" occurs when a person:

  4         (a)  Commits aggravated battery on a child;

  5         (b)  Willfully tortures, maliciously punishes, or

  6  willfully and unlawfully cages a child; or

  7         (c)  Knowingly or willfully abuses a child and in so

  8  doing causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or

  9  permanent disfigurement to the child.

10

11  A person who commits aggravated child abuse commits a felony

12  of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.

13  775.083, or s. 775.084.

14         (3)  "Malicious punishment" occurs when a person

15  maliciously punishes a child.

16         (a)  A person who maliciously punishes a child and

17  causes slight or no bodily harm to the child commits a

18  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.

19  775.082 or s. 775.083.

20         (b)  A person who maliciously punishes a child and

21  causes moderate bodily injury without causing great bodily

22  harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the

23  child commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as

24  provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

25         (c)  A person who maliciously punishes a child and

26  causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent

27  disfigurement to the child commits a felony of the first

28  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

29  s. 775.084.

30         (4)  When a person is charged with committing an act of

31  child abuse, aggravated child abuse, or malicious punishment

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2428
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  1  and the person has previously been found guilty, regardless of

  2  adjudication of child abuse, aggravated child abuse, or

  3  malicious punishment, the punishment for the offense for which

  4  the person is charged shall be reclassified as follows:

  5         (a)  In the case of a misdemeanor of the first degree,

  6  to a felony of the third degree.

  7         (b)  In the case of a felony of the third degree, to a

  8  felony of the first degree.

  9         (5)(3)(a)  "Neglect of a child" means:

10         1.  A caregiver's failure or omission to provide a

11  child with the care, supervision, and services necessary to

12  maintain the child's physical and mental health, including,

13  but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter,

14  supervision, medicine, and medical services that a prudent

15  person would consider essential for the well-being of the

16  child; or

17         2.  A caregiver's failure to make a reasonable effort

18  to protect a child from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by

19  another person.

20

21  Neglect of a child may be based on repeated conduct or on a

22  single incident or omission that results in, or could

23  reasonably be expected to result in, serious physical or

24  mental injury, or a substantial risk of death, to a child.

25         (b)  A person who willfully or by culpable negligence

26  neglects a child and in so doing causes great bodily harm,

27  permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the child

28  commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided

29  in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

30         (c)  A person who willfully or by culpable negligence

31  neglects a child without causing great bodily harm, permanent

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2428
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  1  disability, or permanent disfigurement to the child commits a

  2  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.

  3  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

  4         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

  5

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  7                          SENATE SUMMARY

  8    Provides a criminal penalty for any person who knowingly
      abuses a child and causes mental injury or slight bodily
  9    harm or causes moderate bodily harm without causing great
      bodily harm. Modifies the definition of aggravated
10    battery on a child. Provides that malicious punishment
      occurs when a person maliciously punishes a child and
11    prescribes penalties therefor. Increases penalties for a
      person who commits child abuse, aggravated child abuse,
12    or malicious punishment and who has been previously found
      guilty of such an offense.
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