RCW 9A.42.010 Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Basic necessities of life" means food, water, shelter, clothing, and medically necessary health care, including but not limited to health-related treatment or activities, hygiene, oxygen, and medication.

(2)(a) "Bodily injury" means physical pain or injury, illness, or an impairment of physical condition;

(b) "Substantial bodily harm" means bodily injury which involves a temporary but substantial disfigurement, or which causes a temporary but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part or organ, or which causes a fracture of any bodily part;

(c) "Great bodily harm" means bodily injury which creates a high probability of death, or which causes serious permanent disfigurement, or which causes a permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part or organ.

(3) "Child" means a person under eighteen years of age.

(4) "Dependent person" means a person who, because of physical or mental disability, or because of extreme advanced age, is dependent upon another person to provide the basic necessities of life. A resident of a nursing home, as defined in RCW 18.51.010, a resident of an adult family home, as defined in RCW 70.128.010, and a frail elder or vulnerable adult, as defined in *RCW 74.34.020(13), is presumed to be a dependent person for purposes of this chapter.

(5) "Employed" means hired by a dependent person, another person acting on behalf of a dependent person, or by an organization or governmental entity, to provide to a dependent person any of the basic necessities of life. A person may be "employed" regardless of whether the person is paid for the services or, if paid, regardless of who pays for the person's services.

(6) "Parent" has its ordinary meaning and also includes a guardian and the authorized agent of a parent or guardian.

(7) "Abandons" means leaving a child or other dependent person without the means or ability to obtain one or more of the basic necessities of life.

(8) "Good samaritan" means any individual or group of individuals who: (a) Is not related to the dependent person; (b) voluntarily provides assistance or services of any type to the dependent person; (c) is not paid, given gifts, or made a beneficiary of any assets valued at five hundred dollars or more, for any reason, by the dependent person, the dependent person's family, or the dependent person's estate; and (d) does not commit or attempt to commit any other crime against the dependent person or the dependent person's estate.

[ 2006 c 228 § 1; 1997 c 392 § 508; 1996 c 302 § 1; 1986 c 250 § 1.]

NOTES:

*Reviser's note: RCW 74.34.020 was amended by 2007 c 312 § 1, changing subsection (13) to subsection (15). RCW 74.34.020 was subsequently amended by 2010 c 133 § 2, changing subsection (15) to subsection (16). RCW 74.34.020 was subsequently amended by 2011 c 89 § 18, changing subsection (16) to subsection (17), effective January 1, 2012. RCW 74.34.020 was subsequently amended by 2015 c 268 § 1, changing subsection (17) to subsection (21). RCW 74.34.020 was subsequently amended by 2017 c 268 § 2, changing subsection (21) to subsection (22).

Short title—Findings—Construction—Conflict with federal requirements—Part headings and captions not law—1997 c 392: See notes following RCW 74.39A.009.

Severability—1996 c 302: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1996 c 302 § 7.]