SENATE
HOUSE
JOINT
BILL STATUS
STATE LAW
REPORTS
EDUCATIONAL
CONTACT
home
home
Introduced Version House Bill 2049 History

   |  Email
Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 2049


          (By Delegates Kump, Householder and Rowan)
          [Introduced February 13, 2013; referred to the
          Committee on the Judiciary then Finance.]




A BILL to amend and reenact §61-8B-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §61-8D-2, §61-8D-2a and §61-8D-5 of said code; and to amend and reenact §62-3-15 of said code, all relating to eliminating eligibility for parole for the offenses of first degree murder, murder of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian by refusal to supply necessities or by delivery of a controlled substance, death of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian by child abuse; and eliminating eligibility for parole for the offenses of first degree sexual assault, or sexual abuse of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
     That §61-8B-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that §61-8D-2, §61-8D-2a and §61-8D-5 of said code be amended and reenacted; and that §62-3-15 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 61. CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT.

ARTICLE 8B. SEXUAL OFFENSES.
§61-8B-3. Sexual assault in the first degree.
     (a) A person is guilty of sexual assault in the first degree when:
     (1) The person engages in sexual intercourse or sexual intrusion with another person and, in so doing:
     (i) Inflicts serious bodily injury upon anyone; or
     (ii) Employs a deadly weapon in the commission of the act; or
     (2) The person, being fourteen years old or more, engages in sexual intercourse or sexual intrusion with another person who is younger than twelve years old and is not married to that person.
     (b) Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than fifteen nor more than thirty-five years, or fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 and imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than fifteen nor more than thirty-five years.
     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the penalty for any person violating the provisions of subsection (a) of this section who is eighteen years of age or older and whose victim is younger than twelve years of age, shall be imprisonment in a state correctional facility for not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred years and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $25,000.
     (d) Notwithstanding any provision in this code to the contrary, a person convicted of an offense under this section is not eligible for parole.
ARTICLE 8D. CHILD ABUSE.
§61-8D-2. Murder of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian or other person by refusal or failure to supply necessities, or by delivery, administration or ingestion of a controlled substance; penalties.
     (a) If any parent, guardian or custodian shall maliciously and intentionally cause the death of a child under his or her care, custody or control by his or her failure or refusal to supply such child with necessary food, clothing, shelter or medical care, then such parent, guardian or custodian shall be guilty of murder in the first degree.
     (b) If any parent, guardian or custodian shall cause the death of a child under his or her care, custody or control by knowingly allowing any other person to maliciously and intentionally fail or refuse to supply such child with necessary food, clothing, shelter or medical care, then such other person and such parent, guardian or custodian shall each be guilty of murder in the first degree.
     (c) The penalty for offenses defined by this section shall be that which is prescribed for murder in the first degree under the provisions of section two, article two of this chapter. Notwithstanding any provision in this code to the contrary, a person convicted of an offense under this section is not eligible for parole.
     (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any parent, guardian or custodian who fails or refuses, or allows another person to fail or refuse, to supply a child under the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian or custodian with necessary medical care, when such medical care conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized religious denomination or order of which such parent, guardian or custodian is an adherent or member.
§61-8D-2a. Death of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian or other person by child abuse; criminal penalties.
     (a) If any parent, guardian or custodian shall maliciously and intentionally inflict upon a child under his or her care, custody or control substantial physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical condition by other than accidental means, thereby causing the death of such child, then such parent, guardian or custodian shall be guilty of a felony.
     (b) If any parent, guardian or custodian shall knowingly allow any other person to maliciously and intentionally inflict upon a child under the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian or custodian substantial physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical condition by other than accidental means, which thereby causes the death of such child, then such other person and such parent, guardian or custodian shall each be guilty of a felony.
     (c) Any person convicted of a felony described in subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be punished by a definite term of imprisonment in the penitentiary a correctional facility which is not less than ten nor more than forty years. A person imprisoned pursuant to the provisions of this section is not eligible for parole prior to having served a minimum of ten years of his or her sentence or the minimum period required by the provisions of section thirteen, article twelve, chapter sixty-two of this code, whichever is greater. Notwithstanding any provision in this code to the contrary, a person convicted of an offense under this section is not eligible for parole.
     (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any parent, guardian or custodian or other person who, without malice, fails or refuses, or allows another person to, without malice, fail or refuse, to supply a child under the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian or custodian with necessary medical care, when such medical care conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized religious denomination or order of which such parent, guardian or custodian is an adherent or member. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any health care provider who fails or refuses, or allows another person to fail or refuse, to supply a child with necessary medical care when such medical care conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized religious denomination or order of which the parent, guardian or custodian of the child is an adherent or member, or where such failure or refusal is pursuant to a properly executed do not resuscitate form.
§61-8D-5. Sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to a child; parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust allowing sexual abuse to be inflicted upon a child; displaying of sex organs by a parent, guardian, or custodian; penalties.
     (a) In addition to any other offenses set forth in this code, the Legislature hereby declares a separate and distinct offense under this subsection, as follows: If any parent, guardian or custodian of or other person in a position of trust in relation to a child under his or her care, custody or control, shall engage in or attempt to engage in sexual exploitation of, or in sexual intercourse, sexual intrusion or sexual contact with, a child under his or her care, custody or control, notwithstanding the fact that the child may have willingly participated in such conduct, or the fact that the child may have consented to such conduct or the fact that the child may have suffered no apparent physical injury or mental or emotional injury as a result of such conduct, then such parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a correctional facility not less than ten nor more than twenty years, or fined not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 and imprisoned in a correctional facility not less than ten years nor more than twenty years.
     (b) Any parent, guardian, custodian or other person in a position of trust in relation to the child who knowingly procures, authorizes, or induces another person to engage in or attempt to engage in sexual exploitation of, or sexual intercourse, sexual intrusion or sexual contact with, a child under the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust when such child is less than sixteen years of age, notwithstanding the fact that the child may have willingly participated in such conduct or the fact that the child may have suffered no apparent physical injury or mental or emotional injury as a result of such conduct, such parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a correctional facility not less than five years nor more than fifteen years, or fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 and imprisoned in a correctional facility not less than five years nor more than fifteen years.
     (c) Any parent, guardian, custodian or other person in a position of trust in relation to the child who knowingly procures, authorizes, or induces another person to engage in or attempt to engage in sexual exploitation of, or sexual intercourse, sexual intrusion or sexual contact with, a child under the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust when such child is sixteen years of age or older, notwithstanding the fact that the child may have consented to such conduct or the fact that the child may have suffered no apparent physical injury or mental or emotional injury as a result of such conduct, then such parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a correctional facility not less than one year nor more than five years.
     (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a custodian or person in a position of trust whose age exceeds the age of the child by less than four years.
     (e) Notwithstanding any provision in this code to the contrary, a person convicted of an offense under this section is not eligible for parole.
CHAPTER 62. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.

ARTICLE 3. TRIAL OF CRIMINAL CASES.
§62-3-15. Verdict and sentence in murder cases.
     If a person indicted for murder be found by the jury guilty thereof, they shall in their verdict find whether he or she is guilty of murder of the first degree or second degree. If the person indicted for murder is found by the jury guilty thereof, and if the jury find in their verdict that he or she is guilty of murder of the first degree, or if a person indicted for murder pleads guilty of murder of the first degree, he or she shall be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary a correctional facility for life, and he or she, notwithstanding the provisions of article twelve, chapter sixty-two any provision of this code to the contrary, shall is not be eligible for parole. Provided, That the jury may, in their discretion, recommend mercy, and if such recommendation is added to their verdict, such person shall be eligible for parole in accordance with the provisions of said article twelve, except that, notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, such person shall not be eligible for parole until he or she has served fifteen years: Provided, however, That if the accused pleads guilty of murder of the first degree, the court may, in its discretion, provide that such person shall be eligible for parole in accordance with the provisions of said article twelve, and, if the court so provides, such person shall be eligible for parole in accordance with the provisions of said article twelve in the same manner and with like effect as if such person had been found guilty by the verdict of a jury and the jury had recommended mercy, except that, notwithstanding any provision of said article twelve or any other provision of this code to the contrary, such person shall not be eligible for parole until he or she has served fifteen years.



     NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to eliminate eligibility for parole for the offenses of first degree murder, first degree sexual assault, murder of a child by parent, guardian or custodian, death of a child by parent, guardian or custodian by child abuse, or sexual abuse of a child by parent, guardian or custodian.

     Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.  |  Terms of Use  |   Email WebmasterWebmaster   |   © 2024 West Virginia Legislature **


X

Print On Demand

Name:
Email:
Phone:

Print