Bill Text: FL S1346 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Abuse of a Parent

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2015-05-01 - Died in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs [S1346 Detail]

Download: Florida-2015-S1346-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2015                                    SB 1346
       
       
        
       By Senator Thompson
       
       
       
       
       
       12-01167-15                                           20151346__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the abuse of a parent; creating s.
    3         784.09, F.S.; defining “child” and “parent” for
    4         purposes of the crimes of abuse of a parent,
    5         aggravated abuse of a parent, exploitation of a
    6         parent’s assets, and emotional abuse of a parent;
    7         providing the elements of such crimes; providing
    8         criminal penalties; authorizing alternative sentencing
    9         under certain circumstances; requiring reporting of
   10         the abuse of a parent or exploitation of a parent’s
   11         assets to the central abuse hotline of the Department
   12         of Children and Families; providing immunity for a
   13         person who makes such a report; providing an effective
   14         date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Section 784.09, Florida Statutes, is created to
   19  read:
   20         784.09Abuse and exploitation of a parent.—
   21         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   22         (a) “Child” means an unmarried person younger than 18 years
   23  of age who has not been emancipated by order of a court.
   24         (b) “Parent” means a child’s biological parent.
   25         (2) A child commits abuse of a parent if he or she:
   26         (a)Inflicts physical injury or threatens to inflict great
   27  bodily harm upon a parent;
   28         (b)Commits an act that could reasonably be expected to
   29  result in physical injury to a parent; or
   30         (c) Actively encourages the commission of an act that
   31  results or could reasonably be expected to result in physical
   32  injury to a parent.
   33         (3) A child commits aggravated abuse of a parent if he or
   34  she:
   35         (a) Commits aggravated battery pursuant to s. 784.045 or
   36  aggravated assault pursuant to s. 784.021 of a parent;
   37         (b) Falsely imprisons a parent pursuant to s. 787.02; or
   38         (c) Causes great bodily harm to, permanent disability of,
   39  or permanent disfigurement of a parent.
   40         (4) A child commits exploitation of a parent’s assets if he
   41  or she:
   42         (a) Willfully damages or steals a parent’s physical
   43  property; or
   44         (b) Engages in activities outside the home that financially
   45  intimidate or harm a parent, including, but not limited to,
   46  theft, the incurring of fines or other costs for which a parent
   47  is financially liable, or making purchases, charges, or
   48  financial commitments in a parent’s name.
   49         (5) A child commits emotional abuse of a parent if he or
   50  she:
   51         (a) Induces a parent to take an action under threat;
   52         (b) Falsely reports child abuse; or
   53         (c) Engages in repeated conduct that results in, or could
   54  be reasonably expected to result in, the infliction of physical
   55  injury, including repeated threats of great bodily harm or
   56  death.
   57         (6) A child who violates:
   58         (a) Subsection (2) for abuse commits a misdemeanor of the
   59  second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
   60  775.083.
   61         (b) Paragraph (3)(a) for aggravated battery commits a
   62  felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.
   63  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
   64         (c)Paragraph (3)(a) for aggravated assault commits a
   65  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
   66  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
   67         (d) Paragraph (3)(b) for false imprisonment commits a
   68  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 787.02.
   69         (e) Paragraph (3)(c) for great bodily harm, permanent
   70  disability, or permanent disfigurement commits a felony of the
   71  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
   72  or s. 775.084.
   73         (f) Subsection (4) for exploitation of assets commits a:
   74         1. Misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided
   75  in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, if the value is less than $500.
   76         2. Misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided
   77  in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, if the value is $500 or more but
   78  less than $5,000.
   79         3. Felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
   80  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the value is $5,000 or
   81  more but less than $10,000.
   82         4. Felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in
   83  s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the value is $10,000
   84  or more but less than $50,000.
   85         5. Felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
   86  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the value is $50,000 or
   87  more.
   88         (g) Subsection (5) for emotional abuse commits a
   89  misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.
   90  775.082 or s. 775.083.
   91         (7) If a child is convicted of aggravated abuse of a parent
   92  under subsection (3) or exploitation of a parent’s assets under
   93  subsection (4), upon request of the state attorney or defense
   94  attorney, the court may reduce a felony charge to a misdemeanor
   95  and provide alternative sentencing. Such alternative sentencing
   96  may include, but is not limited to, probation or required
   97  attendance in specialized intervention programs.
   98         (8) A person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect,
   99  that a parent is being abused or that a parent’s assets are
  100  being exploited by his or her child shall report such knowledge
  101  or suspicion to the central abuse hotline of the Department of
  102  Children and Families. A person who files a report in good faith
  103  or participates in an investigation resulting from a report is
  104  immune from prosecution for such reporting or participation.
  105         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2015.

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