Senate Bill sb1224

    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1224

    By Senator Dawson





    29-931-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to leaving children unattended

  3         or unsupervised in a motor vehicle; amending s.

  4         316.6135, F.S.; revising the elements of the

  5         noncriminal infraction to prohibit leaving a

  6         child younger than a specified age unattended

  7         or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for any

  8         period of time; increasing a penalty and

  9         providing additional penalties; providing an

10         effective date.

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

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14         Section 1.  Subsections (1) and (2) of section

15  316.6135, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

16         316.6135  Leaving children unattended or unsupervised

17  in motor vehicle; penalty; authority of law enforcement

18  officer.--

19         (1)  A No parent, legal guardian, or other person at

20  least 12 years of age who is responsible for a child younger

21  than 8 6 years of age may not shall leave such child

22  unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for any period

23  of time a period in excess of 15 minutes; however, no such

24  person shall leave a child unattended for any period of time

25  if the motor of the vehicle is running or the health of the

26  child is in danger.

27         (2)  Any person who violates the provisions of

28  subsection (1) commits is guilty of a noncriminal traffic

29  infraction, punishable by a fine of:

30         (a)  Not more than $200 $100; or

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1224
    29-931-03




  1         (b)  Not less than $50 and not more than $500 if the

  2  motor of the vehicle was running or the health of the child

  3  was in danger at the time of the violation; or.

  4         (c)  Not less than $500 for a second or subsequent

  5  violation if the motor of the vehicle was running or the

  6  health of the child was in danger at the time of the

  7  violation.

  8

  9  This subsection does not preclude prosecution under any other

10  provision of law.

11         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

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14                          SENATE SUMMARY

15    Provides that a person 12 years of age or older who is
      responsible for children may not leave them unattended or
16    unsupervised in a motor vehicle for any period of time.
      Provides additional and increased penalties for such a
17    violation.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.