State Senate Adopts Legislation to Toughen Penalties for Sexual Predators

STATE SENATE ADOPTS LEGISLATION TO TOUGHEN PENALTIES FOR SEXUAL PREDATORS

State Senator Mike Nozzolio today announced that the Senate has adopted a series of legislative measures designed to increase criminal penalties for sexual predators and prevent them from obtaining access to potential victims.  As Chairman of the Senate Codes Committee, which has jurisdiction over all aspects of criminal justice law, Senator Nozzolio led the fight to crackdown on sexual predators and enact these aggressive new legislative measures.

“Sexual predators prey on the innocent and are among the most dangerous criminals in our society because of their tendency to commit repeated acts of violence," said Senator Nozzolio. "As the Chairman of the Senate Codes Committee, I have fought strenuously for increased penalties for sexual predators and improved services and support for crime victims.  The legislation adopted by my Senate colleagues and I represents the next step in our efforts to keep our children and communities safe by ensuring that those who commit these horrific crimes are kept off our streets and in prison where they belong.”

Legislation that was enacted by the State Senate today includes measures to:

· Ensure significantly longer prison sentences for serial rapists.

·Require consecutive prison sentences for each separate count of first-degree rape when an individual is convicted of multiple counts, keeping dangerous felons off the streets for as long as possible.  

·Create new felony-level “Computer Sex Crimes”, which are offenses in which criminals use computers and the Internet to commit sex crimes against children under the age of 17.

· Increase the penalty for failure to register or report a change of address by a    Level Three Sex Offender.

· Create the felony crime of endangering the welfare of a child if a person has previously been charged with child endangerment.   Currently, the crime is a misdemeanor offense no matter how many times an individual has been charged with that crime in the past.

Senator Nozzolio was instrumental in the efforts to enact Megan’s Law, which created the New York State Sex Offender Registry and has successfully fought to strengthen these registration requirements.

“There is nothing more important than ensuring the health and safety of New York's children and families.  That's why I will continue fighting to get dangerous sexual predators off our streets, and why I am hopeful that the State Assembly will work to enact these important measures without delay,” said Senator Mike Nozzolio.

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