Along With Internet Protections—

Senate Republicans Reintroduce Jessica’s Law

HARTFORD — The Senate Republican Caucus led by Senate Republican Leader Louis C. DeLuca (R-Woodbury) and Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore John McKinney (R-Fairfield) reintroduced Jessica’s Law for Connecticut at a press conference Wednesday and announced a new bill, the Internet Child Protection Act.

“Sexual assault of a child is a heinous crime that warrants severe punishment. This is an opportunity to pass legislation that will better protect our children by keeping child predators in jail and out of our neighborhoods,” said Senator DeLuca. “As states that have enacted Jessica’s Law know, 25-to-life is also a strong deterrent for many would-be child sex offenders.”

Jessica’s Law for Connecticut, modeled after Florida’s Jessica’s Law, provides that anyone convicted of sexually assaulting a child under age 13 be sentenced to 25 years in prison for a first offense and life imprisonment for a subsequent offense. The law also applies to those convicted of promoting prostitution, or employing a minor in pornography when the victim is a child under 13 years of age. Under the proposed legislation, released child predators will be placed on special probation for life and made to wear a GPS tracking device on their person at all times.

“The question we’re posing to our colleagues in the majority is simple, ‘Do you believe, yes or no, that a criminal who sexually assaults a child should go to jail for 25 years to life?” asked Senator McKinney. “I believe, and the Senate Republican Caucus believes, that they should.”

The original Jessica’s Law was passed in Florida in response to the kidnapping and killing of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford by a released pedophile. Currently 21 states have enacted Jessica’s Law or similar legislation.

Senate Republicans pressed the General Assembly to pass Jessica’s Law throughout the 2006 session. The Senate did pass a compromise bill (2006, SB 360) that was far weaker than the Senate Republicans original proposal. The 2006 session adjourned before the measure was ever brought up for a vote.

Under the Internet Child Protection Act, the same penalties — 25 years for a first offense, life imprisonment for a subsequent offense, special probation and electronic surveillance via GPS tracking — would be applied to a pedophile convicted of using a computer to attempt to entice a child under age 13 into having sex. Those convicted of using a computer to attempt to entice a child between the ages of 13 and 15 would be subject to a mandatory ten-year prison sentence for a first offense.

 “The Senate Republican Caucus will work tirelessly to pass this legislation,” said Senator DeLuca. “If House Democrats again refuse to bring Jessica’s Law to a vote, we will conclude that they oppose the bill and hold them duly accountable for their failure to enact this important legislation.”