Bill > H1782

This bill proposes new legal provisions to protect children by establishing criminal penalties for individuals who fail to notify law enforcement about a child's death or disappearance under specific circumstances. The bill defines key terms such as "person having care and custody" (including parents, guardians, and others responsible for a child's supervision), "child" (any person under 14 years old), and "missing child" (a child under 14 whose whereabouts cannot be determined). The legislation creates two primary criminal offenses: first, failing to notify law enforcement within 2 hours of a child's death (accidental or otherwise) with intent to mislead or impede an investigation, which can result in up to 10 years in state prison or 2.5 years in a house of correction; and second, failing to report a missing child within 5 days under similar circumstances, which carries the same potential imprisonment penalties. Additionally, the bill amends an existing law to increase potential prison sentences for certain related offenses, specifically changing some maximum sentences from 2.5 years to 10 years in state prison and from 5 years to 15 years. These changes aim to enhance legal accountability for those responsible for children's safety and to ensure prompt reporting of critical incidents involving children.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1782