HCSHBs1108&1181--PUBLICSAFETY
SPONSOR: Hicks
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonJudiciarybyavoteof10to1.
PleaseseetheSummarySheetforadetailedlistoftheadditional
languageaddedtotheHouseCommitteeSubstitute.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillensuresfurther
protectionsforchildrenandthementallydisabledfromthesex
offenderswhocommittedtheseoffensesagainstthem.Thebill
requirespeoplewhohavecommittedoffensesagainstthesegroupsof
victims,thevulnerablepopulation,tobelifetimeregistrantson
thesexoffenderregistry. Thereisfundingthatistiedto
Missouri'sadherencetothefederalguidelines,andwehavetomake
sureMissouristayswithinthoseguidelines. Thisbillensures
complianceandforwardthinkingincasethefederalstandards
change.Addingoffensescommittedagainstadultincapacitated
individualsisnecessarybecausetheyoftenhavethecognitive
capacityofachildsoweshouldtreatthevulnerablepeoplethe
same.Fromapublicsafetystandpoint,theregistryisthereto
protectthevictims,sothereshouldnotbeadistinctionbetweena
16-year-oldanda12-year-old.Childsexcasesaretheworst
possible,andtherealityisthatpeoplewhocommitoffenses
againstminorsdonothaveadistinctionbetweenachild,which
pertainstothoseundertheageof14,oraminor,whichpertains
tothoseundertheageof18.Aminorisaminor.Thebiggest
issuerightnowisthenumberofpeoplethatarenotregistering.
Theyareouttherestillmolestingchildren. Itisacompulsion-
typebehavior,wheretheseoffenderscannotstopthemselvesand
theyneedtobeontheregistrysotheycanbeheldaccountable.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Hicks;
MissouriAssociationofProsecutingAttorneys;andMissouriOffice
ofProsecutionServices.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.