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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 30, 2013 01:24 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Reintroduction of Prior House Bill 2600-Aggravated Assault of a Child Legislation |
| In the near future, I plan to reintroduce legislation which will correct a disparity between the grading of assaults against young children and an assault against others who have special statutory protection because of their employment or position. My bill would make it an Aggravated Assault under Title 18, Section 2702, if the actor attempts or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes serious bodily injury to a child under the age of 6, or attempts to cause or intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to a child under the age of 6. Where the crime involves serious bodily injury, it would be a felony of the first degree. Conduct involving bodily injury would be a felony of the second degree. Today, such conduct is only a misdemeanor of the first degree, unless it involves serious bodily injury and the prosecution proves the actor acted " with extreme indifference to the value of human life." On the other hand, it is a first degree felony to attempt to cause, or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause, serious bodily injury to someone who is within 34 different categories of victims, ranging from judges, prosecutors, members of the General Assembly, public defenders and public utility employees or contractors while the victim is in the performance of his or her duty. An attempt to cause or intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to one of these classes' victims is a felony of the second degree. My bill will ensure that an offender who attempts to or who causes injury to a child receives the same penalties he would receive if the victim was a member of the other protected classes. Previous Cosponsors: Baker, Boback, R. Brown, Causer, Daley, DePasquale, Dunbar, Gingrich, Harhart, Hess, Hickernell, Hornaman, Kauffman, M.K. Keller, Maher, Masser, Millard, Miller, Pickett, Pyle, Reese, Rock, Scavello, Simmons, Stephens, Stevenson, Swanger, Vereb, Watson, Mundy and Milne |
Introduced as HB613