S-0543.1  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 5417

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

 

By Senators Fraser, Winsley, Wojahn, Oke and Kohl

 

Read first time 01/23/95.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

 

Making it a crime to abandon a dependent person.



    AN ACT Relating to abandonment of dependent persons; adding a new section to chapter 9A.42 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 9A.42 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) A person entrusted with the physical care of a dependent person is guilty of criminal abandonment if he or she knowingly fails to assist the dependent person by withholding any of the basic necessities of life.

    (2) For the purposes of this section:

    (a) "Dependent person" means a person who, because of physical or mental disability, or because of extreme advanced age, is dependent upon another person to provide the basic necessities of life.

    (b) "Basic necessities of life" means water, food, shelter, clothing, and health care.

    (3) Criminal abandonment is a class C felony.

 


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