<div class="xtend">
         <div class="xtend_ce"><a id="pl.1.1"></a><var>1.1</var>A bill for an act<br />
            		
         </div><a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>relating to public safety; adding a felony-level penalty and affirmative defenses <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>to the vulnerable adult neglect crime;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>section 609.233.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br />
         		<br />
         		<a id="bill.0.1.0"></a><a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 609.233, is amended to read:<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var><b>609.233 CRIMINAL NEGLECT.</b><br />
         		<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subdivision 1. <b>Gross misdemeanor </b><b>crime.</b> A caregiver or operator who <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>intentionally neglects a vulnerable adult or knowingly permits conditions to exist that <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>result in the abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. For <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>purposes of this section, "abuse" has the meaning given in section 
         <statute_ref>626.5572, subdivision <br />
            		<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>2
         </statute_ref>, and "neglect" means a failure to provide a vulnerable adult with necessary food, <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 1a. <b>Felony deprivation.</b> A caregiver or operator who intentionally deprives a <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>vulnerable adult of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision, when the <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>caregiver or operator is reasonably able to make the necessary provisions, is guilty of a <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>felony and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 2a, if:<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>(1) the caregiver or operator knows or has reason to know the deprivation could <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>likely result in substantial bodily harm or great bodily harm to the vulnerable adult; or<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>(2) the deprivation occurred over an extended period of time.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 2. <b>Exemptions.</b> A vulnerable adult is not neglected or deprived under <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.22"></a><var>1.22</var>subdivision 1 or 1a for the sole reason that:<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.23"></a><var>1.23</var>(1) the vulnerable adult or a person with authority to make health care decisions <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.24"></a><var>1.24</var>for the vulnerable adult under sections 
         <statute_ref>144.651</statute_ref>, 
         <statute_ref>144A.44</statute_ref>, 
         <statute_ref>253B.03</statute_ref>, or 
         <statute_ref>524.5-101</statute_ref> to <br />
         		
         <statute_ref><a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>524.5-502
         </statute_ref>, or chapter 145B, 145C, or 252A, refuses consent or withdraws consent, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>consistent with that authority and within the boundary of reasonable medical practice, to <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>any therapeutic conduct, including any care, service, or procedure to diagnose, maintain, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>or treat the physical or mental condition of the vulnerable adult or, where permitted under <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>law, to provide nutrition and hydration parenterally or through intubation; this paragraph <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>does not enlarge or diminish rights otherwise held under law by:<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>(i) a vulnerable adult or a person acting on behalf of a vulnerable adult, including an <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>involved family member, to consent to or refuse consent for therapeutic conduct; or<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>(ii) a caregiver to offer or provide or refuse to offer or provide therapeutic conduct;<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>(2) the vulnerable adult, a person with authority to make health care decisions for the <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>vulnerable adult, or a caregiver in good faith selects and depends upon spiritual means <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>or prayer for treatment or care of disease or remedial care of the vulnerable adult in lieu <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.13"></a><var>2.13</var>of medical care, provided that this is consistent with the prior practice or belief of the <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.14"></a><var>2.14</var>vulnerable adult or with the expressed intentions of the vulnerable adult; or<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.15"></a><var>2.15</var>(3) the vulnerable adult, who is not impaired in judgment or capacity by mental or <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.16"></a><var>2.16</var>emotional dysfunction or undue influence, engages in consensual sexual contact with: (i) a <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.17"></a><var>2.17</var>person including a facility staff person when a consensual sexual personal relationship <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.18"></a><var>2.18</var>existed prior to the caregiving relationship; or (ii) a personal care attendant, regardless <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.19"></a><var>2.19</var>of whether the consensual sexual personal relationship existed prior to the caregiving <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.20"></a><var>2.20</var>relationship.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.21"></a><var>2.21</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 2a. <b>Penalties.</b> A person who violates subdivision 1a may be sentenced as <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.22"></a><var>2.22</var>follows:<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.23"></a><var>2.23</var>(1) if the conduct results in great bodily harm to the vulnerable adult, imprisonment <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.24"></a><var>2.24</var>for not more than ten years or payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both; or<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.25"></a><var>2.25</var>(2) if the conduct results in substantial bodily harm to the vulnerable adult, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.26"></a><var>2.26</var>imprisonment for not more than five years or payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.27"></a><var>2.27</var>or both.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.28"></a><var>2.28</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 2b. <b>Affirmative defenses.</b> It shall be an affirmative defense to a prosecution <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.29"></a><var>2.29</var>under subdivision 1 or 1a, if proven by a preponderance of evidence, that:<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.30"></a><var>2.30</var>(1) the defendant is an individual employed by a facility or operator and does <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.31"></a><var>2.31</var>not have managerial or supervisory authority, and was unable to reasonably make the <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.32"></a><var>2.32</var>necessary provisions because of inadequate staffing levels, inadequate supervision, or <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.33"></a><var>2.33</var>institutional policies;<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.34"></a><var>2.34</var>(2) the defendant is a facility, operator, or an employee of a facility or operator in <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.35"></a><var>2.35</var>a position of managerial or supervisory authority, and did not knowingly, intentionally, <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.1"></a><var>3.1</var>or recklessly permit criminal acts by its employees or agents that resulted in the harm to <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.2"></a><var>3.2</var>the vulnerable adult; or<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.3"></a><var>3.3</var>(3) the defendant is a caregiver and failed to perform acts necessary to prevent the <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.4"></a><var>3.4</var>applicable level of harm, if any, to the vulnerable adult because the caregiver was acting <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.5"></a><var>3.5</var>reasonably and necessarily to provide care to another identified vulnerable adult.<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.6"></a><var>3.6</var>For these affirmative defenses, a defendant bears only the burden of production. A <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.7"></a><var>3.7</var>defendant's failure to meet the burden of production does not relieve the state of its burden <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.8"></a><var>3.8</var>of persuasion as to all elements of the offense.<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.9"></a><var>3.9</var><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b>This section is effective August 1, 2012, and applies to crimes <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.10"></a><var>3.10</var>committed on or after that date.<br />
         		
      </div>