2022 -- S 2780 | |
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LC005593 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HARASSMENT | |
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Introduced By: Senator Cynthia Armour Coyne | |
Date Introduced: March 24, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Judiciary | |
(by request) | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Title 11 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINAL OFFENSES" is hereby |
2 | amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
3 | CHAPTER 70 |
4 | HARASSMENT |
5 | 11-70-1. Criminal harassment. |
6 | A person is guilty of criminal harassment if that person willfully and maliciously engages |
7 | in a knowing pattern of conduct or series of acts over a period of time directed at a specific person, |
8 | which seriously alarms that person and would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial |
9 | emotional distress. The conduct or acts described in this subsection shall include, but not be limited |
10 | to, conduct or acts conducted by mail or by use of a telephonic or telecommunication device or |
11 | electronic communication device including, but not limited to, any device that transfers signs, |
12 | signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part |
13 | by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo-electronic or photo-optical system, including, but not |
14 | limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages or facsimile |
15 | communications. |
16 | 11-70-2. Penalties for violations. |
17 | (a) Any person convicted of criminal harassment as provided under this chapter shall be |
18 | punished as follows: |
19 | (1) Any person convicted of a first offense shall be subject to imprisonment for not more |
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1 | than one year or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or both. |
2 | (2) Any person convicted of a second offense shall be subject to imprisonment for not more |
3 | than three (3) years or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or both. |
4 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC005593 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HARASSMENT | |
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1 | This act would create the offense of criminal harassment. Persons who commit such an |
2 | offense would be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first offense and felony for a second offense and |
3 | subject to fines and imprisonment. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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