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          Session of 1998
                    SENATE BILL No. 598           By Committee on Judiciary           2-5             9             AN ACT concerning crimes and punishment; relating to children; endan-
10             gering a child and abuse of a child; amending K.S.A. 21-3608 and
11             21-3609 and repealing the existing sections.
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13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14           Section 1. K.S.A. 21-3608 is hereby amended to read as follows:
15       21-3608. (a) Endangering a child is intentionally and unreasonably caus-
16       ing or permitting a child under the age of 18 years to be placed in a
17       situation in which the child's life, body or health may be injured or en-
18       dangered.
19           (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean a child is en-
20       dangered for the sole reason the child's parent or guardian, in good faith,
21       selects and depends upon spiritual means alone through prayer, in ac-
22       cordance with the tenets and practice of a recognized church or religious
23       denomination, for the treatment or cure of disease or remedial care of
24       such child.
25           (c) Endangering a child is a   class A person misdemeanor severity level
26       5, person felony.
27           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 21-3609 is hereby amended to read as follows: 21-
28       3609. (a) Abuse of a child is intentionally torturing, cruelly beating, shak-
29       ing which results in great bodily harm or inflicting cruel and inhuman
30       corporal punishment upon any child under the age of 18 years.
31           (b) Abuse of a child is a severity level   5 4, person felony.
32           Sec. 3. K.S.A. 21-3608 and 21-3609 are hereby repealed.
33           Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
34       publication in the statute book.
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