KY- Senate panel approves bills strengthening sex-abuse laws

Measures aimed at protecting kids

3-28-2008 Kentucky:

Bills that would toughen penalties against Internet predators, sexual abusers and those who fail to report sexual abusers were approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday and are expected to pass the full Senate.

Advocates for House Bills 367 and 211 said tougher penalties are needed in the wake of revelations about sexual abuse of children in churches and schools and predators' use of the Internet to harass and make sexual advances to minors.

"Children in our schools, youth sports leagues, 4-H, Scouts etc. deserve to be protected from people in positions of trust and authority," said Shannon Whelan of the group Protect Our Children KY, who applauded both bills.

John Scott, who was sexually abused by a priest in the Archdiocese of Louisville, said he is "relieved that the people are listening."

"We've been up here three years in a row," added Scott, citing previous efforts to strengthen the abuse laws. "It's been very difficult."

HB 211 would make felonies out of several categories of sex crimes against older minors -- offenses that are currently misdemeanors. By making them felonies, the prison sentences can be more severe, and there would be no time limit on when they could be prosecuted.

The bill would also impose progressively stronger penalties each time someone fails to report knowledge of sexual abuse to the authorities.

HB 367 was passed to ban a variety of crimes using new electronic technologies.

It prohibits using any communications system to entice a minor into a sexual offense, bars registered sex offenders from using social-networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, requires the offenders to provide updated e-mail addresses to authorities and prohibits showing pornography to a minor via Webcam.

The bill also would allow authorities to seek the forfeiture of property used in such cybercrimes. And it would permit the prosecution of anyone soliciting sex from a person they believe to be a minor -- allowing police to arrange stings of predators in which adults pose as minors online.

The two measures are expected to be placed on the Senate's consent calendar for noncontroversial legislation. ..more.. by Peter Smith can be reached at (502) 582-4469. Reporter Deborah Yetter contributed to this story.