HB 1051 Part of House GOP “Safe Families Platform”

A key portion of the House Republican Safe Families Platform passed out of committee today and is now headed to the House floor.

House Bill 1051, by House Speaker Lance Cargill, prevents student-aged sex offenders from attending the same school as their victims. The measure was approved by the House Education Committee.

“No victim of a violent crime, particularly a child, should have to face their attacker on a daily basis,” said Cargill (R-Harrah). “Often, the student victim will change schools or in some cases, the entire family will move so that their child will not have to endure this. This bill will put the burden of starting over in a different school on the attacker.”

Cargill introduced a similar measure last year after being contacted by a female student from his district who was raped by a classmate. Her attacker was allowed to return to the same school. However, Cargill’s 2006 bill died in the State Senate.

The “Safe Families Platform” is part of the 2007 House Republican “Year of Ideas Agenda”.