BILL TARGETS EXPOSURE OF JUVENILES TO DRUG LABS

BATON ROUGE -- Adults who expose a minor or a pregnant woman to the
dangers of an illegal drug lab could face charges of cruelty to a
juvenile under a bill filed Tuesday by a central Louisiana House
member. House Bill 33 by Rep. Rick Farrar, D-Pineville, would expand
the state's cruelty-to-juvenile laws to include exposure to illegal
drug labs. The bill will be taken up at the March 29 general
legislative session.

State law now defines cruelty to a juvenile as "intentional or
criminally negligent mistreatment or neglect" of a child younger than
17 by someone 18 or older when "unjustifiable pain or suffering is
caused." Ignorance of the child's age is not a defense to the charge.

Farrar's bill says anyone who is older than 17 and intentionally or
criminally exposes a child younger than 17 or a fetus to a clandestine
lab "where it is foreseeable that the child or unborn child may be
physically harmed" can be charged with juvenile cruelty. Ignorance of
the child's age or the fetus's existence could not be used as a
defense against the charge, Farrar said.

The bill retains the penalties now on the books: a fine of up to
$1,000, a maximum prison sentence of 10 years or both.