Re: Protecting Children
Shouldn't our state legislators do their utmost to protect children?
Sen. Mary Lazich’s Conservatively Speaking blog post yesterday (Sunday, January 17) titled Protecting children, refers to child care scams, the Wisconsin Shares program and fraud, reports of child-care centers connections to drug operations.
It states, “During November, the legislature approved Act 76, which offered some protections to both children and taxpayers by addressing problems in the Wisconsin Shares Child Care program.
Unfortunately, a few key provisions of two bills, authored by Rep. Mark Gundrum, Rep. Mark Honadel, Sen. Alberta Darling and myself were left out of Act 76. These are simple, common sense changes to the law that can only make things better for children, taxpayers, and child care professionals trying to provide a safe needed service.
Therefore, the four of us are introducing two bills that will strengthen safeguards against neglect, abuse, and other criminal activities.
“LRB 4061/1 provisions prohibit a person convicted of a drug-related felony from receiving a license to operate a child care center for at least 10 years after that person has completed his or her sentence. If the person has been convicted of a crime in addition to the drug-related felony, the bill provisions permanently prohibit granting the person a child care license.
LRB 4062/1 provisions require state or local government regulators to report child abuse or neglect upon a reasonable cause to believe that a caregiver or someone living at a child care center has abused or neglected a child, or that such abuse or neglect will occur. The bill also requires a government employee to report to his or her immediate supervisor, and the supervisor to report to the sheriff, reasonable suspicion that a caregiver or someone living at the child care center has engaged in a drug-related offense.”
Sen. Lazich’s blog informs us about those issues/bills.
But what about Senate Bill 319? Isn't that bill about protecting children and helping victims of childhood sexual abuse obtain justice?
In case you missed it, there's a letter to the editor in yesterday’s Journal Sentinel (Jan. 17) with the heading Protecting children . It's from Barbara Blaine, President of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
In expressing support for Sen. Bill 319, Blaine writes… “ most victims take decades before they are able to tell about the horrors they experienced when they were raped and sexually assaulted as children. Even though time has past, most predators are still out there and have moved on to a new generation of kids. The Department of Justice estimates that only one in 10 predators gets identified. “
Blaine goes on to say, “ Let’s go after the 90% who get away with raping kids and expose them so kids today will not be abused by these same predators. Wisconsin can and should do better to protect its youngsters. SB 319 will enable Wisconsin to do just that.”
A January 12 Journal Sentinel editorial titled Delayed Justice says “ Senate Bill 319 would repeal the state’s civil statute of limitations in childhood sexual abuse cases involving adults or adult clergy and open a three-year window for victims who had been barred previously from suiing. Currently victims can sue until they reach age 35. The bill is modeled after laws passed in California and Delaware. Supporters say the California law has resulted in identification of 300 previously unknown sex offenders.”
Sen. Julie Lassa (one of the bill's supporters) asserts: "By opening the statute of limitations, we will be able to cast a wider net to catch these individuals who sexually prey on children."
So, Sen. Lazich (R- New Berlin,) do you support Sen. Bill 319 or not? Do you plan to communicate your views on that bill to constituents via your blog?