April 13, 2010

RUDDER, ADDIEGO CALL FOR ACTION ON BILL PACKAGE TO PROTECT CHILDREN

Assemblyman Scott Rudder and Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego have asked the chairs of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee to immediately post a package of four bills that crack down on criminals who target New Jersey’s children.

“These are important pieces of legislation that take aim directly at the pedophiles and predators who prey on the youngest, most defenseless members of our communities,” said Assemblyman Rudder. “Before Governor Christie and the legislature hammer out a budget, schools will be letting students out for the summer. Now is the time for action. We should be discussing and passing these bills and bolstering the legal defenses that protect our children.”

In letters to Assemblywoman Linda R. Greenstein, chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee, and Law and Public Safety chairman Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson, Addiego and Rudder asked them to move the bills quickly, “in the best interest of New Jersey’s children.”

“There were incidences in or near our legislative district that prompted us to draft these bills, but they address dangers that threaten youngsters in every community in the State,” said Assemblywoman Addiego. “In this case, we are proud to be looking out for a special interest group, our children and their families.”

The four bills include:

* Assembly Bill 1208 imposes mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment for persons convicted of luring a child. The legislation was prompted by an attempted child abduction that occurred in Shamong.

* Assembly Bill 1209 makes it a crime for an adult to fraudulently join a youth-serving organization. The bill is a response to the arrest of a 23-year-old Mount Holly man who misrepresented himself as a teenager to join a local youth organization, and was arrested and charged with luring and endangering the welfare of a child.

* Assembly Bill 1216 establishes a crime of initiating a false Amber Alert. A Pennsylvania woman, who’s 911 call to report her and her daughter’s abduction set off an Amber Alert and a massive search by law enforcement officials that not only risked lives but wasted money, exposed the need for this bill.

* Assembly Bill 2379 makes it a crime to commit certain offenses in a school zone or within 500 feet of a park.

“The legislature needs to discuss these bills, vote on them, and send them to the Governor for his signature. They were introduced last session and didn’t move,” said Assemblyman Rudder. “More dragging of the feet and failure to post these bills will expose our children to unnecessary risks and danger.”



April 13, 2010

The Hon. Linda R. Greenstein
Chairwoman – Assembly Judiciary Committee
7 Centre Drive
Suite 2
Monroe, NJ 08831-1565
The Hon. Gordon M. Johnson

Chairman – Assembly Law & Public Safety Committee
1 Engle Street
Suite 108
Englewood, NJ 07631

Dear Chairwoman and Chairman:

We are writing to respectfully request you to move important pieces of legislation that we have drafted to protect the most vulnerable of New Jerseyans, our children.

Each of these bills was motivated by real-life incidents that exposed shortcomings in the laws that defend the health and safety of the young boys and girls in our communities.

Too often, we read about depraved individuals committing, or attempting, crimes against victims who are too young to understand or resist the threat.

All four of these bills were introduced last session, but foundered for more than a year in committee, until the end of the session.

We have introduced them again, and urge you to move these bills in the best interest of New Jersey’s children.

Assembly Bill 1208 was prompted by an attempted child abduction that occurred in Shamong. The legislation imposed mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment for persons convicted of luring a child. Numerous similar attempts were reported in Burlington County since the bill’s initial introduction in December, 2008.

The arrest of a 23-year-old man who misrepresented himself as a teenager to join a local youth organization, and was arrested and charged with luring and endangering the welfare of a child, led to A-1209. The bill makes it a crime for an adult to fraudulently join a youth-serving organization.

After a Pennsylvania woman’s 911 call, in which she purported to have been abducted, along with her pre-teen child, an Amber Alert was issued, followed by a massive effort by law enforcement to locate the missing pair. Later, mother and daughter were found in Disney World in Florida. Assembly bill 1216 was written, establishing a crime of initiating a false Amber Alert.

The “Safe Places Safe Kids Act,” A-2379, is drafted to strengthen the net of safety around the places children frequent, their schools and local parks. The bill makes it a crime to commit certain offenses in a school zone or within 500 feet of a park.

We feel strongly that these four important bills deliver a strong message to those who would victimize our youngsters, endanger our families, and spread fear through our communities. The message is: Don’t mess with our children.

These bills are every bit as crucial in our rural areas as they are in our cities, and they are as relevant along the Delaware Bay as they are in the shadows of the New York City skyline.

We respectfully implore you to move these bills immediately, and to help protect the youth and teenagers of New Jersey from the pedophiles and parasites who would do them harm.

We would be happy to discuss this matter with you, and can be reached through the 8th District office at (609) 654-1498.


Sincerely,

DAWN MARIE ADDIEGO
Assemblywoman

SCOTT RUDDER
Assemblyman