HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3888 FILED ON: 7/11/2011
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3636
By Mr. Linsky of Natick, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of David Paul Linsky and others for legislation to establish a penalty for parents, legal guardians or caretakers failing to report the death of a minor child. The Judiciary. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven
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An Act protecting children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1.Chapter 269 of the General Laws be amended by adding the following new section:
Section 20:Whoever, being the parent, legal guardian, or caretaker of a minor child, and who has knowledge of the death of said minor child, and who fails to notify law enforcement or emergency medical personnel of the death of said minor child, within twenty-four hours of death, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years or by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars and imprisonment in jail or a house of correction for not more than two and one half years.