It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 8-10-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-10 entitled "Family Court" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 8-10-4. Criminal cases referred to family court. -- ADD} To said family court shall also be referred for hearing, adjustment, reconciliation, decision and sentence all causes properly brought in said court or appealed from other courts in which the defendant is accused, as provided by the statutes, of abandonment of his wife {ADD or her husband ADD} or children, or both, leaving them in danger of becoming public charges; of neglect to provide according to {DEL his DEL} {ADD their ADD} means for his wife {ADD or her husband ADD} or children, or both; of neglect or refusal of an habitual drunkard to aid in the support of {DEL his DEL} {ADD their ADD} family; of neglect or refusal by a child over eighteen (18) years of age to provide for the support and maintenance of his {ADD or her ADD} father or mother; of threat to commit a crime or offense against the person or property of the defendant's husband, wife, children, father or mother {DEL ; assault, assault and battery, or assault with a dangerous weapon, or attempt at such assault, upon the defendant's wife or husband or children, or upon a parent by his child DEL} .

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.