LA- Jindal announces sex offense legislation

Another proposed law lacking logic to coverup the failure of the current state agency that issues day care licenses. Clearly that agency failed in its duty to provide a safe environment for children at that specific day care, they simply ignored checking to see if a RSO resided at that day care.

1-30-2009 Louisiana:

If a day care owner knowingly allows a registered sex offender to come onto the facility's property, that owner could be charged with a crime and face prison time, according to a proposed law by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

The proposal was among several pieces of suggested sex crime legislation Jindal announced Thursday at the Caddo Parish Correctional Center.

"This will resonate with the people here," Jindal said.

His words came about a month after a local day care owner's son, a registered sex offender, was arrested after being accused of sex crimes with children at the facility.

Rodney Chism, son of Katherine Robbins, owner of the Smart Start Learning Center Express in Caddo Parish, was arrested in December on two counts of juvenile molestation. Robbins, who allegedly knew her son was a sex offender, could only be charged with perjury because there are no existing laws criminalizing such scenarios. The day care center was closed after authorities with the state Department of Social Services said Robbins had not performed adequate background checks on her employees.

Other proposals listed by the governor would strengthen many existing sex offender laws, such as making some of the most violent sex offenders submit to psychiatric evaluation after their prison and parole terms end. If a psychiatric evaluator determined the offender was likely to commit a crime again, the change would mean a district attorney could request indefinite, forced evaluation of that person until he or she was deemed to be no longer a threat.

"If you are a monster who preys on children you better not be in Louisiana," Jindal said.

Sex between teachers and students also would be more strictly prohibited. Currently, no educator may have sexual contact with a student until age 19, and Jindal proposes increasing that age limit to 21. School boards also would be required to notify their counterparts in other areas when an employee of theirs with a history of sexual offense applies for school work elsewhere.

"We want to make this the safest place in the world to raise a child," Jindal said.

The governor was flanked by several elected officials, including state Reps. Henry Burns, R-Haughton, and Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport.

Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator, who also attended, said he was happy to hear the state was toughening its sex offense laws. The Caddo sheriff's office is one of 15 agencies that participates in the Northwest Louisiana Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, which operates sting operations against online predators.

"This has been a governor who has been really easy to work with," Prator said.

After the news conference, Jindal fielded questions about President Obama's stimulus package. As the governor has stated previously, he said he had concerns about the amount of the debt the U.S. government was taking on; however, he was optimistic that "shovel ready" projects, like the proposed Interstate 49 North expansion, would be given federal dollars. Jindal also said he did not expect a special state legislative session this year.

Jindal had originally scheduled a town hall-style meeting at the Haughton Fire Department on Tuesday, but rescheduled because of a forecasted ice storm. On Thursday morning, his flight was delayed because of rare snowfall in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, the governor said. ..News Source.. by Drew Pierson