Pennsylvania Act 2021-49 — CRIMES CODE (18 PA.C.S.) - ABUSE OF CARE-DEPENDENT PERSON

Act text

Session of 2021

No. 2021-49

HB 1431

AN ACT

Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in assault, further providing for the offense of abuse of care-dependent person.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 2713.1(a) and (b) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

§ 2713.1. Abuse of care-dependent person.

(a) Offense defined.--A caretaker is guilty of abuse of a care-dependent person if the caretaker:

(1) With the intent to harass, annoy or alarm a care-dependent person:

(i) strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects or attempts to subject a care-dependent person to or threatens a care-dependent person with physical contact;

(ii) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts that serve no legitimate purpose;

(iii) communicates to a care-dependent person any lewd, lascivious, threatening or obscene words, language, drawings or caricatures; or

(iv) communicates repeatedly with the care-dependent person at extremely inconvenient hours.

(2) Commits an offense under section 2709.1 (relating to stalking) against a care-dependent person.

(3) With the intent to ridicule or demean a care-dependent person, uses any audio, video or still image of the care-dependent person in any format or medium on or through any electronic service, wireless communication or any form of electronic service or wireless communication as pertaining to communication.

(b) Penalty.--

(1) A violation of subsection (a)(1) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2) A violation of subsection (a)(2) constitutes a felony of the third degree.

(3) A violation of subsection (a)(3) constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree.

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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 30th day of June, A.D. 2021.

TOM WOLF