Smith Lauds Passage of Children's Safety Act of 2005
Smith Lauds Passage of Children's Safety Act of 2005
September 14, 2005
Comprehensive, Bipartisan Bill Enhances Child Protection from Sex Offenders
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The "Children's Safety Act of 2005," co-sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) was approved by the House of Representatives today by a vote of 371-52. The bill enhances child protection from sex offenders by improving notification programs and strengthening criminal penalties.
"One-in-five girls and one-in-ten boys are sexually exploited before they reach adulthood and the recidivism rate of sex offenders makes it clear that a child predator will be a permanent threat against our children ." said Smith, who has continually fought for increased penalties and streamlined registration systems to further protect children from sexual predators. "I believe that that those who commit sex crimes against children should be put away for life. In the interim, as we work toward that goal, I will support legislation that increases the penalties against those who commit these despicable crimes and puts them where they belong - behind bars."
The bill - H.R. 3132 - strengthens sex offender registration and notification programs and improves verification systems for sex offender information by requiring monthly in-person verification. States will now be required to have a uniform, public access sex offender registration website. In addition, states will now be required to notify each other when a sex offender moves from one to another.
Smith noted that the bill also aims to protect children by increasing criminal penalties against child sexual predators and creates a new criminal penalty for a sex offender who fails to comply with registration requirements. It also deters violent crimes against and sexual exploitation of children, and establishes many more protections.
"It is the number one responsibility of government to protect those unable to protect themselves from harm," Smith said. "With passage of this bill today, it will be much more difficult for convicted sex offenders to have access to innocent children."
This year marks the 11th anniversary of the murder of 7-year-old Megan Kanka (Hamilton, New Jersey) by a convicted sex offender who lived across the street from her home. Rep. Smith has worked with the Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation - established by the Kanka family - to procure federal funding for the "Check 'Em Out Program," which helps non-profit organizations in New Jersey to pay for state and federal fingerprint checks for chaperones, coaches and managers.
"By mandating tougher child sex offender laws, improving and streamlining registration programs and encouraging more initiatives like the 'Check 'Em Out Program', we create layers of security around our children," Smith said. "The more layers, the safer our children are."
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj04_smith/PRChildrenSafetyPass.html