Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405-521-5774
For Immediate Release:
March 4, 2008
Sen. Cliff Aldridge
Senate Approves Bill to Place Child Abusers
on Violent Crime Registry
The State Senate has given full approval to a bill that would require
convicted child abusers to be listed on the state’s violent
crime registry. Senate Bill 1601, by Sen. Cliff
Aldridge, was approved unanimously by the Senate on Tuesday.
The measure would also make it illegal for convicted abusers to
work with children.
“As far as I am concerned, a person who has been convicted
of hurting a child has no business taking care of other people’s
children,” said Aldridge, R-Midwest City. “By placing
the names of these abusers on the violent crime registry, we can
better protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
Under SB1601, any person convicted of the physical or sexual abuse
or neglect of a child would be required to register with the state
as a violent offender. Businesses and individuals throughout the
state would then have access to both the violent offender and sex
offender registry. Employers failing to conduct annual screenings
through the two registries could be subject to a misdemeanor charge
carrying a fine of up to $1,000.
“You wouldn’t hire a convicted sex offender to take
care of your child, and you certainly wouldn’t want to hire
someone who had beaten a child,” Aldridge said. “This
makes sure parents and childcare providers know who those abusers
are and makes sure they aren’t in a position to hurt someone
else’s children.”
Convicted child abusers who fail to register under the Mary Rippy
Act could be charged with a felony, punishable by up to five years
in prison, and/or a fine of up to $5,000. Sen. Aldridge said the
bill may eventually be amended to prevent those convicted of abuse
from working with vulnerable adults, such as those in nursing homes
or assisted living centers.
The bill now awaits consideration by the House of Representatives.
For more information contact:
Senator Aldridge's Office: (405) 521-5584
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