Session Update: February 23, 2007

Many of us raised our children in this great county. We long for the days when we could allow our children to run outside and play with neighbors down the street with no fear for their well-being. With gangs infiltrating our community and sexual predators preying on our children, I am saddened to say those safe days are long gone. My hope is to return Harford County to those safer days of the past.

My top priority for Harford County is giving law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to aggressively combat gangs. I am the lead sponsor, with Governor O’Malley’s support, of a bill giving our local law enforcement tools necessary to combat the gang issue. This bill allows us to not only arrest the person committing the crime, but any member of a gang who contributed to the crime being committed. Finally, our law enforcement will have the tools to go after gang leaders instead of just the minions they send to commit crimes.

With the goal of continuing to protect our children, I am sponsoring two key pieces of legislation to further protect our children. In 2006, I led the fight to pass a sexual predator bill that strengthened Maryland’s laws. The legislature passed a bill, but despite the increase in penalties, Maryland has a long way to go to fully protect our children. The legislation I am sponsoring this year, improves our state laws to conform to the nationally recognized “Jessica’s Law.” The bill will require mandatory minimums and eliminate the possibility of parole for these violent child predators. Through much determination, I have gained 24 co-sponsors in the Senate, which means if my chairman allows my bill to come to a vote in committee, and it comes to the floor for a vote; it will pass.

I am sponsoring a bill to increase the penalty for the possession of child pornography from a misdemeanor to a felony. Maryland is only one of six states nationally where possession of child pornography is not a felony. People who possess child pornography provide a market for those individuals who take these sexually explicit pictures and videos of children. The people who prey on our young children deserve to be punished harshly. Increasing the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony shows the commitment our state has for protecting the most innocent in our society.

Each State Senator has a scholarship fund to award money to students attending college within the state. If you are attending college, please go to my website, print out the scholarship form, and mail it to my office. At the end of April the scholarship committee meets, to review all applications and give out the money based on merit.

To stay aware of the most up to date information regarding legislation in Annapolis, to see recent news articles on these issues, or to obtain information on scholarships, please visit my website at www.nancyjacobs.com or I can be reached toll-free at 1-800-492-7122 ext.3158.