Source: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S7249
Timestamp: 2020-04-01 21:20:37
Document Index: 186224339

Matched Legal Cases: ['§260', '§260', '§509', '§ 260', '§ 2', '§ 260', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 260', '§  5']

NY State Senate Bill S7249
senate Bill S7249
Get Status Alerts for S7249
S7249 (ACTIVE) - Details
Add §260.09, amd §§260.10, 120.40 & 260.15, Pen L; amd §509-cc, V & T L
S7249 (ACTIVE) - Summary
Establishes the crime of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree; makes technical corrections.
S7249 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S7249
endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree; and to amend the
penal law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to making techni-
cal corrections thereto
To address forms of child abuse that cannot be adequately addressed
under existing law, including risk of serious injury, protracted impair-
ment, conduct that results in physical injury to young children, and
repeat abusers.
Section 1 adds section 260.09 to the Penal Code to establish the crime
of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree.
Section 2 amends section 260.10 of the Penal Code to establish the crime
of endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree.
Section 3 amends subdivision 5 of section 120.40 of the Penal Code to
include endangering the welfare of a child in both the first and second
Section 4 amends section 260.15 of the Penal Code to include a reference
to the new section 260.09 in the defense for endangering the welfare of
Section 5 amends paragraph (c) of subdivision 4 of section 509-cc of the
vehicle and traffic law to include a reference to the new section
260.09.
Unlike 37 other states, New York does not have a felony-level crime for
endangering the welfare of a child. The existing misdemeanor charge for
endangering the welfare of a child is often inadequate to capture the
severity of particularly egregious cases. This legislation establishes
the crime of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree to
address those situations. It reclassifies the existing misdemeanor crime
of endangering the welfare of a child as the second degree version of
There are numerous examples of child abuse cases across New York State
that could not be adequately addressed by the existing misdemeanor
charge. For instance, in Suffolk County, a four year old child with
cancer was denied treatment by her parents. Although she received the
initial surgery she needed, her parents never brought her back for
chemotherapy and other treatments that doctors believed were necessary
for her survival. Eight months later, her parents rushed her to the
hospital paralyzed from the waist down due to her cancer having spread
to other organs. Her parent's negligence almost resulted in her death
and required her to receive months of intensive medical care. Prosecu-
tors, however, did not have sufficient evidence to charge her parents
with reckless endangerment in the first degree or felony assault. They
could only charge them with the existing misdemeanor of child endanger-
ment, which failed to adequately address the harm done to this child.
Similarly, in Schenectady County, a parent of a 21-month old child
repeatedly bound and gagged their child and locked them in the back of a
dark closet for an extended period of time. Although the child did not
sustain any physical injury, they are likely emotionally scarred from
the abuse. Under current statue, the parent can only be charged with
misdemeanor child endangerment. If the parent had abused a mentally or
physically disabled person in the same way, they could be charged with a
felony. The child in question should have the same protection from abuse
as a mentally or physically disabled adult.
This new charge would also help prosecutors address abuse that happens
overtime or repeatedly. Unfortunately, children often show signs of
abuse that cannot be dated or tied to a particular individual.  Prosecu-
tors often cannot make a felony charge in cases where a baby has multi-
ple bone fractures or skull fractures. Although the child has obviously
experienced extreme pain and suffering, if they cannot tie the injuries
to a specific adult, there is no existing felony level charge to address
the failure of the child's parents or guardian to address the obvious
suffering of the child in question.  Additionally, the statute for
endangering the welfare of a child does not have a "bump-up" provision.
Other statues, for instance Penal Code 120.40120.60 which addresses
stalking, raises the penalty in cases where a past offender repeats the
crime. Creating a felony level endangering the welfare of a child charge
would help prosecutors address cases where an offender has repeatedly
harmed children.
S7249 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
endangering  the  welfare of a child in the first degree; and to amend
the penal law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation  to  making
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 260.09  to
§ 260.09 ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
A  PERSON IS GUILTY OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IN THE FIRST
1. HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY OR RECKLESSLY ACTS IN A MANNER WHICH CREATES  A
RISK  OF  EITHER SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY OR PROTRACTED IMPAIRMENT OF THE
OLD; OR
2.  HE  OR SHE COMMITS THE CRIME OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD
IN THE SECOND DEGREE, AND:
A. BEING EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD OR MORE HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY OR  RECKLESSLY
ACTS IN A MANNER LIKELY TO BE INJURIOUS TO THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL OR MORAL
WELFARE  OF A CHILD LESS THAN SEVEN YEARS OLD AND CAUSES PHYSICAL INJURY
TO THAT CHILD, OR
B. HE OR SHE HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME OR AN ATTEMPT TO
COMMIT A CRIME PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF  ARTICLES  120,  121,  125,
130,  135,  150,  160, 230, 235, 260 AND 263 OF THE PENAL LAW OR SECTION
155.40, 155.42, 215.00, 215.10, 215.15, 215.16, 215.17, 215.50,  215.51,
215.52,  220.28, 220.31, 220.34, 220.39, 220.41, 220.43, 220.44, 220.48,
221.50, 240.75, 245.00, 245.03, 245.11, 250.45, 250.50, 250.55,  250.60,
255.25,  255.26,  255.27,  265.01-A,  SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION 265.01,
SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION 265.02, SUBDIVISION ONE  OF  SECTION  265.03,
SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF SECTION 265.04, SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION 265.10,
SUBDIVISION ONE OF  SECTION  265.11,  265.12,  265.13,  265.14,  265.16,
265.17,  OR 265.26 OF THE PENAL LAW AND THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME WAS LESS
LBD14250-01-9
S. 7249                             2
THAN SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD OR IF THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE VICTIM  AT  LEAST
ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS LESS THAN SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD.
ENDANGERING  THE  WELFARE  OF A CHILD IN THE FIRST DEGREE IS A CLASS E
§ 2. Section 260.10 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 447 of the
§ 260.10 Endangering the welfare of a child IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
A person is guilty of endangering the welfare of a child IN THE SECOND
physical,  mental  or moral welfare of a child less than seventeen years
old or directs or authorizes such  child  to  engage  in  an  occupation
2.  Being  a parent, guardian or other person legally charged with the
to prevent him or her from becoming  an  "abused  child,"  a  "neglected
those  terms  are defined in articles ten, three and seven of the family
she engages in the conduct  described  in  subdivision  one  of  section
260.00  of this article: (a) with the intent to wholly abandon the child
such child; (b) with the intent that the child  be  safe  from  physical
injury  and  cared  for  in an appropriate manner; (c) the child is left
leaves the child promptly notifies an appropriate person of the  child's
Endangering  the  welfare of a child IN THE SECOND DEGREE is a class A
§ 3. Paragraph c of subdivision 5 of section 120.40 of the penal  law,
as amended by section 7 of part NN of chapter 55 of the laws of 2018, is
CHILD IN THE FIRST DEGREE, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 260.09; endangering the
welfare  of  a child IN THE SECOND DEGREE, as defined in section 260.10;
§ 4. Section 260.15 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 447 of the
§ 260.15 Endangering the welfare of a child; defense.
S. 7249                             3
section 260.09 OR SECTION 260.10 of this article, based upon an  alleged
failure or refusal to provide proper medical care or treatment to an ill
child,  it is an affirmative defense that the defendant (a) is a parent,
guardian  or  other  person  legally charged with the care or custody of
such child; and (b) is a member or adherent of an  organized  church  or
religious  group  the  tenets of which prescribe prayer as the principal
treatment for illness; and (c) treated or caused such ill  child  to  be
treated in accordance with such tenets.
§  5.  Paragraph (c) of subdivision 4 of section 509-cc of the vehicle
[125.40,  125.45,]  130.20,  130.25,  130.52,  130.55,  135.10,  135.55,
220.09,  220.16, 220.31, 220.34, 220.60, 220.65, 221.30, 221.50, 221.55,
230.00, 230.05, 230.06, 230.11, 230.12, 230.13, 230.19, 230.20,  235.05,
235.06,  235.07, 235.21, 240.06, 245.00, 260.09, 260.10, subdivision two