Bill Text: FL H0259 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Offenses by Caregivers of Minor Children

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Failed) 2012-03-09 - Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 37 (Ch. [H0259 Detail]

Download: Florida-2012-H0259-Introduced.html
HB 259

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to offenses by caregivers of minor
3children; creating s. 827.10, F.S.; penalizing the
4failure of a caregiver, by culpable negligence, to
5make contact with a child under a specified age in his
6or her care for a certain period and to immediately
7report the child as missing to law enforcement after
8that period expires without contact in certain
9circumstances; providing that the time period does not
10run in certain circumstances; providing criminal
11penalties; providing enhanced criminal penalties in
12certain circumstances; creating s. 827.11, F.S.;
13requiring the caregiver of a minor child to report the
14child's death or the location of the child's corpse to
15a law enforcement agency within a specified period in
16certain circumstances; providing that the time period
17does not run in certain circumstances; providing
18criminal penalties; amending s. 837.055, F.S.;
19prohibiting knowingly making a false report under s.
20827.10 or s. 827.11, F.S.; providing criminal
21penalties; providing an effective date.
22
23Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25     Section 1.  Section 827.10, Florida Statutes, is created to
26read:
27     827.10  Missing child; duty to report.-
28     (1)  A caregiver who by culpable negligence fails to make
29contact with or otherwise verify the whereabouts and safety of a
30child in his or her care who is 6 years of age or younger for a
31period of 48 hours and to immediately report the child as
32missing to law enforcement after this 48-hour period expires
33without contact commits:
34     (a)  A felony of the second degree if the child suffers
35death, great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent
36disfigurement while missing; or
37     (b)  A felony of the third degree in any other
38circumstance,
39
40punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
41     (2)  The reporting time period required by this section
42does not run while the caregiver is unable to make a report due
43to circumstances beyond his or her control.
44     Section 2.  Section 827.11, Florida Statutes, is created to
45read:
46     827.11  Death of a child or location of a child's corpse;
47reporting requirements.-
48     (1)  A caregiver of a minor child must:
49     (a)  Report the child's death to a law enforcement agency
50within 2 hours after learning about the child's death; or
51     (b)  Report the location of the child's corpse to a law
52enforcement agency within 2 hours after learning the location of
53the corpse,
54
55if the child's death appears to have been one described in s.
56406.11(1)(a), other than a death described in s. 406.11(1)(a)6.,
577., or 9.
58     (2)  The reporting time period required by this section
59does not run while the caregiver is unable to make a report due
60to circumstances beyond his or her control.
61     (3)  A person who violates this section commits a felony of
62the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.
63775.083, or s. 775.084.
64     Section 3.  Section 837.055, Florida Statutes, is amended
65to read:
66     837.055  False information to law enforcement during
67investigation.-
68     (1)  Except as provided in subsection (2), whoever
69knowingly and willfully gives false information to a law
70enforcement officer who is conducting a missing person
71investigation or a felony criminal investigation with the intent
72to mislead the officer or impede the investigation commits a
73misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
74775.082 or s. 775.083.
75     (2)  A person who knowingly makes a false report under s.
76827.10  or s. 827.11 commits a felony of the third degree,
77punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
78     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.


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