BERKSTRESSER AND CIERPIOT.
Read 1st time February 3, 2000, and 1000 copies ordered printed.
ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 568, RSMo, relating to offenses against the family by adding thereto one new section relating to crimes against children, with penalty provisions.
Section A. Chapter 568, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 568.055, to read as follows:
568.055. 1. No person shall knowingly permit another to:
(1) Commit a sexual offense against a child less than seventeen years of age, defined in chapter 566, RSMo, or this chapter;
(2) Cause serious physical injury to a child less than seventeen years of age; or
(3) Cause serious emotional injury to a child less than seventeen years of age.
2. To be convicted pursuant to this section, the person must have:
(1) Had actual knowledge that the other person was causing such harm to the child;
(2) Failed to take actions that were reasonable under all the circumstances to prevent or stop the harm against the child;
(3) Failed to report the harm to a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction or to the department of social services within a reasonable time after the event; and
(4) Been responsible at the time of the event for the care of the child.
3. Any person who violates subsection 1 of this section is guilty of the same level of offense as the crime committed against the child, except in no case shall the authorized term of imprisonment exceed fifteen years.
4. It is a defense to conviction pursuant to this section that the defendant failed to comply with the provisions of
subsection 2 of this section because the defendant reasonably believed based on prior acts of domestic violence or
abuse that acting to prevent, stop or report such harm to the child would result in serious physical harm to the
child.
Missouri House of
Representatives