FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2005
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Pa Senators Introduce "Jessica's Law" Legislation At Capitol News Conference with Jessica's Father, Mark Lunsford 

Child Safety Act Sponsored by Sens. Orie and Rafferty  Would Increase Penalties, Monitoring for Sexual Predators

View the entire news conference.  Running time 31 minutes

HARRISBURG, PA -- Mark Lunsford, father of Jessica Lunsford, for whom Florida's "Jessica's Law" is named, joined Senators John Rafferty (R-44) and Jane Orie (R-40)  at a news conference today at the state Capitol to push for a package of Child Safety legislation.  The bills are intended to impose tougher penalties for sexual predators, provide more comprehensive monitoring of sex offenders, and establish "predator alert systems" to identify repeat offenders. 

Rafferty and Orie also announced legislation to create Jessica's Law in Pennsylvania.  The measure would include a minimum of 25 years in prison for anyone over 18 years of age who is convicted of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 12, mandatory GPS monitoring for life, and a mandatory life sentence for anyone convicted of a second offense.

The news conference also featured a demonstration by a company that currently offers GPS technology to track sex offenders. 

Rafferty, a former prosecutor and long-time child protection advocate, said the legislation is part of a larger "Child Safety Act"  that would create some of the toughest laws in the nation to protect children from sexual assault and monitor sex offenders. 

Rafferty said the package also includes measures to increase penalties for child rape, establish Child Protection Zones, establish penalties for harboring an unregistered sex offender and create forfeiture laws for those convicted of sex offenses. 

He said the Senate is acting as part of a nationwide campaign to implement severe sanctions against sexual predators who prey on children under 12.  After the kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford by a convicted sex offender who lived nearby, Florida Governor Jeb Bush signed similar legislation.  The senators want Pennsylvania to lead the way in continuing this national effort.  Currently, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are also considering instituting Jessica's Law. 

Senator Rafferty chairs the Law & Justice Committee. 

According to the Pennsylvania State Police, there are over 7,100 registered sex offenders in the state.  Last year, sexual assault centers around the Commonwealth served approximately 38,000 people, nearly a third of whom were children.  Children under 12 account for 34 percent of all sexual assaults.