Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Kentucky State Senator Puts More Teeth in Child Predator Law.
Senator Ray S. Jones II, D-Pikeville, continues his fight against child predators with a bill that broadens Kentucky's sex offender laws, increases penalties for abusers, and establishes a classification system for offenders.
The legislation will amend current laws to include predatory activity involving the Internet, identification of electronic identities by sex offender registrants, and the use of GPS monitoring. The law also establishes a three-tiered classification for sex offenders that follows the federal Adam Walsh Act that assigns to each registrant a color based on the offense.
"The three-tiered classification will allow parents to discern immediately if an offender is also a child predator," said Senator Jones, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 214 amends or further defines current legislation as follows:
· Amends the unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities by allowing prosecution for the sending of unlawful communications to any individual the person believes is a minor.
· Defines stalking to include electronic activity.
· Amends pornography laws to include live images transmitted over the Internet.
· Amends the sex offender registration law to include whether a person is subject to GPS-based monitoring.
· Amends the sex offender registration law to require a new photo whenever there is a substantial change in appearance.
· Requires the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet to verify electronic identity or online membership information at least once every 90 days.
· Provides a searchable database that lists electronic identity of offenders. In addition, offenders will be listed in a three-tiered classification system that will alert the public to the type of offense committed.
· Adds "cyber harassment" to the current harassment and harassing communications statute.
· Requires courts and the parole board to order mandatory GPS monitoring of lifetime registrants for the duration of that person's probation, shock probation or other form of conditional release or parole. The registrant would be responsible for the cost. Tampering with the equipment would be a Class D felony.
· Requires forfeiture of personal property used in connection with or acquired as a result of a violation of listed offenses.
· Requires the study of the implementation of the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 in Kentucky.
"As a parent, I am concerned about the child predator that lives next door or down the block, but I am also concerned about the predator that is using the Internet to lure children," said Jones. "More children are communicating via the Internet, and websites such as myspace.com make it easy for predators to become any identity they want to assume to earn the trust of innocent children."
Senate Bill 214 is Senator Jones' second piece of legislation this session aimed at sex offenders. During the 2007 session, the senator sponsored legislation, which made Kentucky's sex offender laws among the toughest in the nation. With the passage of Senate Bill 65, Kentucky became the first state to require convicted sex offenders to register their online identities.
The legislation will amend current laws to include predatory activity involving the Internet, identification of electronic identities by sex offender registrants, and the use of GPS monitoring. The law also establishes a three-tiered classification for sex offenders that follows the federal Adam Walsh Act that assigns to each registrant a color based on the offense.
"The three-tiered classification will allow parents to discern immediately if an offender is also a child predator," said Senator Jones, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 214 amends or further defines current legislation as follows:
· Amends the unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities by allowing prosecution for the sending of unlawful communications to any individual the person believes is a minor.
· Defines stalking to include electronic activity.
· Amends pornography laws to include live images transmitted over the Internet.
· Amends the sex offender registration law to include whether a person is subject to GPS-based monitoring.
· Amends the sex offender registration law to require a new photo whenever there is a substantial change in appearance.
· Requires the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet to verify electronic identity or online membership information at least once every 90 days.
· Provides a searchable database that lists electronic identity of offenders. In addition, offenders will be listed in a three-tiered classification system that will alert the public to the type of offense committed.
· Adds "cyber harassment" to the current harassment and harassing communications statute.
· Requires courts and the parole board to order mandatory GPS monitoring of lifetime registrants for the duration of that person's probation, shock probation or other form of conditional release or parole. The registrant would be responsible for the cost. Tampering with the equipment would be a Class D felony.
· Requires forfeiture of personal property used in connection with or acquired as a result of a violation of listed offenses.
· Requires the study of the implementation of the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 in Kentucky.
"As a parent, I am concerned about the child predator that lives next door or down the block, but I am also concerned about the predator that is using the Internet to lure children," said Jones. "More children are communicating via the Internet, and websites such as myspace.com make it easy for predators to become any identity they want to assume to earn the trust of innocent children."
Senate Bill 214 is Senator Jones' second piece of legislation this session aimed at sex offenders. During the 2007 session, the senator sponsored legislation, which made Kentucky's sex offender laws among the toughest in the nation. With the passage of Senate Bill 65, Kentucky became the first state to require convicted sex offenders to register their online identities.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 5:10 PM 
