§ 11-5-11 - Assault on persons with severe impairments. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 11-5-11

   § 11-5-11  Assault on persons with severeimpairments. – (a) For the purposes of this section:

   (1) "adult" means a person over the age of eighteen (18).

   (2) "major life activities" means: (i) mobility; (ii)self-care; (iii) communication; (iv) receptive and/or expressive language; (v)learning; (vi) self-direction; (vii) capacity for independent living; or (viii)economic self-sufficiency.

   (3) "person with severe impairments" means a child or adultwho has a disability which is attributable to a mental or physical impairmentor combination of mental and physical impairments which results in asubstantial limitation on the person's ability to function independently in thefamily or community and in one or more major life activities.

   (b) Any person who shall commit an assault and battery upon aperson who is severely impaired as defined in subsection (a) of this section,causing bodily injury, shall be deemed to have committed a felony and shall beimprisoned not exceeding five (5) years, or fined not exceeding two thousanddollars ($2,000), or both.

   (c) Violations of this section shall be reported to the localpolice department.

   (d) After July 1, 2007 pursuant to § 40-8.5-2, the localpolice department may request the department of mental health, retardation, andhospitals provide crisis intervention services for the adult victim with severeimpairments when:

   (1) Necessary to ensure the immediate health and safety ofthe adult victim; and

   (2) The adult victim relies on the person believed to havecommitted the assault and/or battery, for assistance in performing three (3) ormore major life activities.