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House advances juvenile sex offender notification bill Friday, Jan 19, 2007 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The House on Thursday approved legislation that would require courts to notify school districts when a juvenile is charged or punished for a sex offense. The Senate, meanwhile, made quick work of a scant agenda and adjourned for the week. House Bill 1041 by Rep. Shirley Walters, R-Greenwood, passed on a 97-0 vote and goes to the Senate. "All this does is says that the court has to notify the school," Walters said. She said she filed the bill after two recent incidents in North and West Arkansas. In Mansfield, which is in her House district, a boy who had a sex offense record in juvenile court returned to school and later was accused of molesting at least two female students on a school bus. In Rogers, a boy convicted of rape in juvenile court returned to school. School officials and federal immigration officials later determined that the boy and his parents were living in Arkansas illegally and the family was deported to Mexico. In both cases, Walters said, the boys' parents had been instructed by a juvenile judge to tell the school district of their circumstances but did not notify school officials. Under HB 1041, juvenile court would have to notify the school and present the school counselor and superintendent with the youth's "safety plan." She said a "safety plan" is developed only for sex offenders in juvenile court. It is a detailed report on the juvenile's case and provides information the district can use to protect other students. The bill requires that the "safety plan" information be kept confidential but remain part of the juvenile's permanent school record until he or she turns 21 year old or a judge orders it stricken, Walters said. Also Thursday, the House approved HB 1104 by Rep. Chris Thyer, D-Jonesboro, which would allow the Legislative Council to meet during the legislative session under certain circumstances. The 94-4 vote for the bill came after Thyer expressed frustration that some House members felt he was trying to usurp the authority of lawmakers or the Legislature. "This bothers me deeply," he said. Thyer said he filed the bill after discovering recently that state statutes give the executive committee of that Legislative Council authority over the Bureau of Legislative Research. The problem, he said, is that when the Legislature is in session, Legislative council cannot meet, so there is no oversight for the bureau. He described it as "a loophole" that need to be corrected. "In all material respect, this is a cleanup bill," he said. The bill requires consent of both the Senate president pro tem and the House speaker before the council or any subcommittees could meet during a legislative session. Rep. Will Bond, D-Jacksonville, said he voted against the bill because he thought Thyer could have accomplished the same thing without giving the Legislature the authority to convene the Legislative Council during a legislative session. The council oversees state government between sessions. Bond said a panel similar to the Legislative Council's executive policy committee could have been established within the legislative Joint Budget Committee. |
