Sex Crime Victims' Bill Clears House Committee
An Oklahoma House committee on Monday unanimously approved a measure to protect sex-crime victims in schools from having to attend the same school as their assailant.
The bill won strong bipartisan approval on Monday in the House Common Education subcommittee. It now heads to the full Education committee before moving to the House floor for a vote.
Speaker Lance Cargill said he authored House Bill 1051 after a constituent’s 14-year-old daughter was raped by a classmate. After the crime, the perpetrator was allowed to attend the same school as his victim. Current state law does not allow a school district to prevent a student sex offender from attending the same school as their victim.
“Unfortunately a loophole in state law allowed this, and we must make sure it never happens again,” said Cargill (R-Harrah). “No victim of rape should have to confront their assailant day after day in school hallways.”
House Bill 1051 is identical to a measure authored by Speaker Cargill last year (HB 2381) that died in the State Senate under Democratic control. Not a single vote was cast against the bill in the House last year. But Sen. Susan Paddack (D-Ada), who chaired the Senate Education Committee at the time, would not grant the bill a hearing.
“With additional conservative voices in the Senate and two new co-chairs of that committee, I’m confident that we will find a better reception to this measure so that more student victims won’t have to suffer,” said Cargill.
When Speaker Cargill presented his bill last year, the brave 14-year-old girl who inspired the measure told House committee members about the daily trauma she endured. She has since transferred out of the school she was attending.
On Monday, the girl’s grandmother appeared before lawmakers.
“Since our granddaughter went through this ordeal, we’ve encountered many young girls in the same situation,” the woman told committee members. “No other victim should have to endure the treatment my granddaughter did.”
“If anyone should have to move to another school, it should be the assailant, not the victim,” said Cargill.
HB 1051 would ensure that any juvenile offender guilty of a sex offense against another student would be required to transfer to another school in the district. In the case of districts with only one school, the offender would be required to transfer to another school district. The measure also requires the Office of Juvenile Affairs to report to school districts when a student in that district has plead guilty to or been convicted of a sexual offense against another student in the same district. School districts would be required to notify the victim and the parent or guardian of the victim. If a victim requests separation from the offender, that decision would be final and irreversible.
The bill won strong bipartisan approval on Monday in the House Common Education subcommittee. It now heads to the full Education committee before moving to the House floor for a vote.
Speaker Lance Cargill said he authored House Bill 1051 after a constituent’s 14-year-old daughter was raped by a classmate. After the crime, the perpetrator was allowed to attend the same school as his victim. Current state law does not allow a school district to prevent a student sex offender from attending the same school as their victim.
“Unfortunately a loophole in state law allowed this, and we must make sure it never happens again,” said Cargill (R-Harrah). “No victim of rape should have to confront their assailant day after day in school hallways.”
House Bill 1051 is identical to a measure authored by Speaker Cargill last year (HB 2381) that died in the State Senate under Democratic control. Not a single vote was cast against the bill in the House last year. But Sen. Susan Paddack (D-Ada), who chaired the Senate Education Committee at the time, would not grant the bill a hearing.
“With additional conservative voices in the Senate and two new co-chairs of that committee, I’m confident that we will find a better reception to this measure so that more student victims won’t have to suffer,” said Cargill.
When Speaker Cargill presented his bill last year, the brave 14-year-old girl who inspired the measure told House committee members about the daily trauma she endured. She has since transferred out of the school she was attending.
On Monday, the girl’s grandmother appeared before lawmakers.
“Since our granddaughter went through this ordeal, we’ve encountered many young girls in the same situation,” the woman told committee members. “No other victim should have to endure the treatment my granddaughter did.”
“If anyone should have to move to another school, it should be the assailant, not the victim,” said Cargill.
HB 1051 would ensure that any juvenile offender guilty of a sex offense against another student would be required to transfer to another school in the district. In the case of districts with only one school, the offender would be required to transfer to another school district. The measure also requires the Office of Juvenile Affairs to report to school districts when a student in that district has plead guilty to or been convicted of a sexual offense against another student in the same district. School districts would be required to notify the victim and the parent or guardian of the victim. If a victim requests separation from the offender, that decision would be final and irreversible.
Labels: 2007 Legislature, Lance Cargill, Sex Crime Victims
posted by Mike McCarville @ 7:44 PM
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