Sex offender chemical castration bill defeated in Senate committee

2-24-2015 Oklahoma:

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Senate panel on Tuesday defeated a measure that would have allowed for the chemical castration of violent sex offenders.

The Senate Judiciary Committee rejected Senate Bill 671 by Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, by a vote of 4-5 with no debate.

The measure would have applied to sexually violent offenses including rape, rape by instrumentation, lewd or indecent proposals or acts against a child under 16, solicitation of a minor and procuring a minor to participate in pornography.

“A person who has been convicted of a sexually violent offense may, upon first conviction and in addition to any other punishment provided by law, be required to undergo” chemical castration “as part of any condition of release,” according to the measure.

After a second or subsequent conviction, the person would have been "required to undergo” chemical castration “or other approved pharmaceutical agent treatment as a condition of release, unless after an appropriate assessment, the court determines that the treatment would not be effective,” according to the measure.

Allen said the measure was a work in progress. He said he wanted it to apply to offenders who are released early.

Allen said he believed the measure would reduce incarceration by reducing recidivism.

“It is dead in the water for two years,” Allen said after the vote.

It is not the first time a lawmaker has introduced such a bill. ..Source.. by BARBARA HOBEROCK