Reprinted courtesy of The Benton Courier

Rep. Dawn Creekmore’s proposal that would expand the state’s ability to track sex offenders was endorsed Monday by a House committee.

The House Judiciary Committee endorsed the Child Protection Act, which allows the state to electronically monitor sex offenders and would include the use of Global Positioning System devices.

“Communities need to know who their neighbors are,” said Creekmore, D-East End, who is the bill’s sponsor. “I’ve been hearing from law enforcement and they say this is a bill that is definitely needed right now.”

The proposal is one of two measures Creekmore has introduced. The proposals are modeled after a Florida law passsed last year and named to memorialize the death of a 9-year-old girl by a registered sex offender.

Commonly referred to as “Jessica’s law,” the Florida law imposes tougher penalties on child molesters and requires many of those released from prison to wear satellite tracking devices for the rest of their lives.

Another proposal by Creekmore would lengthen the penalties for sex offenders, establishing mandatory sentence of 25 years to life behind bars for people convicted of certain sex crimes against children 12 and younger. The House Judiciary Committee did not vote on that measure Monday.

Creekmore has said that she has adequate support for both bills. She also has the support of Gov. Mike Huckabee, who encouraged Creekmore to file her bills during the special session.

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