Senate Committee Passes Jessica's Law

A Request from Senator Jacobs

April 3, 2010

I know that you agree that as a state we cannot afford to be lenient on child rapists. I strongly believe our children are our most precious asset and each day of delay in passing tougher child sexual predator laws puts more Maryland children at risk.

But the good news is that our battle for tougher child sexual predator laws crossed another hurdle this week when Senate Bill 622 "Crimes--Sexual Offenses Against Children--Penalties" passed the Senate on 2nd reader on Friday (2nd reader is where other Senators may offer amendments and ask questions. 3rd reader is the final vote which will be early next week.

In case you forgot, SB622 increases the mandatory minimum sentence from 5 to 20 years for child sexual predators 18 years or older convicted of a second degree rape or second degree sex offense against a victim younger than the age of 13.

While we may have won this battle, the war is far from over. SB622 faces a series of more hurdles until it goes to the governor for his signature to become law. The next step when SB622 clears the Senate is that it will go the House of Delegates' Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee previously passed a weaker version of this bill which called for a 15 year mandatory minimum. We will need your help in asking members of the House committee to support the full 20 year mandatory minimum sentence for rape.

Please Contact the Committee

• You can contact (via e-mail and phone call) members of the House Judiciary Committee by clicking on their name at this link: http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/com/05jud.html
• Your message to the House Judiciary Committee Chairman and committee members should be: "Please pass SB 622 with the full 20 year mandatory minimum sentence for the rape of a child."

Watch the story on Fox 45 Baltimore

Our children who were raped were never given a choice, but as legislators we do have a choice to make our children, families and communities safer. I appreciate all of your efforts to date and your support of my legislation.

In this blessed weekend, I wish you and your family a safe holiday.

Sincerely,


Nancy Jacobs
Senate Minority Whip – District 34 (Harford and Cecil County)