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Sex offender bill awaits governor's pen
Representatives urge fellow lawmakers to do more next
year
Rep.
Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, and Rep. Jan Shabro, R-Lake Tapps, gave
a reserved thumbs-up to the passage of House Bill 3277 as amended in the
Senate, saying more work needs to be done to protect victims of sex
predators. House Bill 3277 will enact stricter sex offender sentencing
and monitoring and aims at curbing abuse of special sentencing
guidelines.
“We offered bold legislation this year,” said Pearson. “The original
legislation Representative
Shabro and I co-sponsored, House Bill 2476, as part of the House
Republicans’ ‘Commitment to Washington,’ included stronger penalties for
every perpetrator who victimizes a child or a disabled person. The final
bill headed to the governor is not as strong as House Bill 2476, but it
is leaps and bounds better than other legislation originally proposed by
the House Democrats.”
Pearson said he would have liked to see a clearer definition of “family
member” in HB 3277 to curb the widespread abuse of Special Sex Offender
Sentencing Alternatives (SSOSA) and create tougher penalties for family
members who groom their victims.
“We had hoped that this bill would include tougher sentences for family
members who rape or molest a child and put an end to SSOSA abuses,” said
Pearson. “I urge my colleagues in the Legislature to come back next year
and add in these additional child protections. I believe that a trusted
family member sexually abusing a child is more heinous than a stranger
committing the abuse. It’s essential that law enforcement has the tools
it needs to get the perpetrator away from the victim particularly when
the offender lives in the home.”
HB 3277 would impose 25-year sentences for several offenses against
children younger than 15, developmentally disabled people and older,
vulnerable adults. Teachers, coaches and clergy are also subject to the
sentences. However, sex offenders who target their relatives could be
eligible for dramatically reduced sentences, along with treatment, under
the measure.
“House Bill 3277 was not everything we wanted, but it was steps closer
to where we need to be,” said Shabro. “If we don’t address the family
member angle of this awful crime and stop the abuse of SSOSA, we will
not fully protect all of our children and vulnerable citizens from sex
predators.”
“I continue to believe sex predators who prey on family members should
not be treated any differently than non-family members. They shouldn’t
be treated with kid gloves,” said Shabro. “The punishment needs to
reflect the severity of the crime and I’ll be back next session to fight
to bring more consistency in how punishment is doled out.”
The governor is expected to sign House Bill 3277 shortly. The 2006
Legislative Session ends on March 9.
Additional sex offender legislation approved Thursday and Friday in the
House included:
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SB 6172 - Would
designate possession of child pornography as a sex offense. Those
convicted of possessing child pornography would have to register as
a sex offender. The bill was approved in the House 96-2. It now
returns to the Senate for concurrence.
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SB 6319 - Would
increase the penalty for failure to register as a sex offender.
Unanimously approved in the House, this measure also returns to the
Senate for concurrence.
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SB 6320 - Would
require the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs to
convene a work group to develop a model policy on sex offenders,
including community notification and strategies for sex offender
management. Passed the House unanimously and sent to the governor.
-
SB 6325 - Would
prohibit repeat sex offenders from living close to schools. Approved
by the House 97-1. The measure now goes back to the Senate.
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SB 6519 - Would
require Level Three sex offenders with a fixed residence to
re-register every 90 days, and allow photographs of sex offenders
and kidnappers to be taken and updated at any time. Passed the House
unanimously, this measure goes back to the Senate for concurrence.
-
SB 6775 - Would create
a new crime of criminal trespass against children. The bill would
prohibit sex offenders from being on the premises of facilities that
provide services to children, such as parks, playgrounds, swimming
pools and community centers. The measure passed the House 91-7. It
also goes back to the Senate for concurrence.
Passing “Jessica’s Law
Plus,” House Bill 2476, to enact stricter penalties and minimum
sentences for sex offenders was part of the 11-point House Republican
“Commitment to Washington” announced before the 2006 legislative
session. House Bill 2476 would have made Washington’s sex offender laws
the toughest in the nation but it never received a vote in the House of
Representatives.
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer:
(360) 786-7252
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