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Legislative briefs Saturday, Jan 20, 2007 Compiled by Arkansas News Bureau Child custody bill approved The House approved legislation Friday that would prohibit the granting of child custody or visitation rights to a sex offender unless approved by a circuit judge. House Bill 1025 by Rep. Dawn Creekmore, D-Hensley, was approved 98-0 and now goes to the Senate. Creekmore told reporters later she filed the bill after learning that a man who served prison time for raping a juvenile was granted custody of his children after he served his time. She declined to give the man's name, where he was convicted or where he lives. "This will give the court discretion to see if that sex offender is a harm to that child," Creekmore said. "There are sex offenders who are not a danger to their children, but this will give the court a tool to use to make that determination." ------- Speaker files bill to fund governor's emergency account House Speaker Benny Petrus, D-Stuttgart, filed legislation Friday to appropriate $500,000 for the governor's emergency fund, which was depleted by former Gov. Mike Huckabee before he left office on Jan. 9. The Joint Budget Committee on Thursday voted down Gov. Mike Beebe's request for $500,000 for the fund through the end of the fiscal year. The fund normally is replenished at the beginning of every fiscal year and is to be used for disaster and emergency aid at the governor's discretion. ------- Disorderly conduct bill filed Legislation filed Friday would shield law enforcement officers from lawsuits for disorderly conduct arrests made on school grounds. House Bill 1199 by Reps. David Cook, D-Williford, and Janet Johnson, D-Bryant, would protect a law enforcement officer from lawsuits if they detain a person on school property for disorderly conduct. Cook is a retired school administrator and Johnson is a retired school teacher. Under the bill, an officer could make an arrest for disorderly conduct on school property if a security officer, school administrator, teacher or other school district employee provides a written statement. The bill would make the written statement probable cause to justify the arrest. The bill also would make the officer immune from criminal or civil lawsuits for false arrest, false imprisonment or unlawful detention. |
