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Gaia- 01-02-2007
Gov. Taft signs "Nichole's Law" - Ohio
Last Updated: 1:13 pm | Tuesday, January 2, 2007 Taft signs "Nicole's Law" BY JON CRAIG | JCRAIG@ENQUIRER.COM COLUMBUS – A West Chester girl witnessed a state law being named after her by Gov. Bob Taft today. And 10-year-old Nicole Robertson returned the gesture by giving Taft a birthday card, with a drawing of the American flag and Ohio Statehouse on it. Inside the card, Nicole wrote, “Thank you for making my bill a law.” Taft turns 65 on Monday. His second term ends Sunday at midnight. Senate Bill 245, sponsored by Sen. Gary Cates, a Republican from West Chester, increases the penalties for public indecency and makes it harder for prior offenders to get out on bail. “I was 40-something-years-old before I got my first bill passed,” Cates said. “This is probably one of my proudest legislative accomplishments. This is a bill that affects real people.” Cates called the fourth-grader from Liberty Elementary School “one of the most courageous girls in Ohio. We hope that Nicole’s example of courage is a model for all citizens. . .when they see wrong. ” Michael Hamblin, a sexual predator with a history of offenses against children, was able to get out of Butler County Jail on $60 of a $500 bond just hours after exposing himself to Nicole at a Kohl’s department store in her hometown in December 2005. Nicole’s law, which takes effect in 90 days, requires judges to consider a suspect’s history of sex offenses, the age of the alleged victim, the suspect’s mental health and potential for violence before setting bail. The law also increases the degree of the offense for each incident. A third indecency offense would become a fifth-degree felony, punishable by up to a year in prison when the victim is a child. “This bill is now a law,” Taft said, handing the pen he signed it with to Nicole. It was one of two bills signed by Taft today. Senate Bill 260, known as Jessica’s law, increases punishment for rape or attempted rape if the victim is younger than 13. “We have to use all the tools we can to deter sex offenders from preying on our most vulnerable citizens,” Taft said. “Both of these bills strengthen Ohio’s laws in regard to sex offenders, and will help protect our most important resource, our children.” Nicole’s mother, Lori; father, Ron; and 8-year-old brother, Noah, also were at today’s bill-signing ceremony. “That was awesome, wow,” Ron Robertson, a detective with the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, said afterward. “We worked so hard because it was such a horrible experience for her,” Lori Robertson said of her daughter. “We were shocked at how lenient the law was. . .This is a perfect answer, it’s an answer to a prayer. We truly believe good things can come out of bad things.” Nicole, clearly overwhelmed by the governor’s attention and television cameras, declined to speak to reporters afterward. Taft said he will give Nicole’s birthday card to the Ohio Historical Society. “I think this is an historic day,” he said. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070102/NEWS01/301020017/1056/COL02

Gaia- 01-02-2007

(126th General Assembly) (Substitute Senate Bill Number 245) Senators Cates, Clancy, Mumper, Padgett, Schuring, Dann, Fedor, Zurz, Amstutz, Coughlin, Fingerhut, Harris, Hottinger, Kearney, Miller, R., Niehaus, Schuler, Spada, Armbruster, Carey, Austria -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A BILL To amend section 2907.09 and to enact section 2907.41 of the Revised Code to generally increase the penalties for public indecency when the victim is a minor and the offender has a previous public indecency conviction, to require that a person charged with a sexually oriented offense or with public indecency who has a previous conviction of a sexually oriented offense or of public indecency appear before the court before the court sets bail, and to generally require the court to consider certain factors before setting bail for that person. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio: SECTION 1. That section 2907.09 be amended and section 2907.41 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows: Sec. 2907.09. (A) No person shall recklessly do any of the following, under circumstances in which the person's conduct is likely to be viewed by and affront others who are in the person's physical proximity and who are not members of the person's household: (1) Expose his or her the person's private parts; (2) Engage in sexual conduct or masturbation; (3) Engage in conduct that to an ordinary observer would appear to be sexual conduct or masturbation. (B) No person shall knowingly do any of the following, under circumstances in which the person's conduct is likely to be viewed by and affront another person who is a minor, who is not the spouse of the offender, and who resides in the person's household: (1) Engage in masturbation; (2) Engage in sexual conduct; (3) Engage in conduct that to an ordinary observer would appear to be sexual conduct or masturbation; (4) Expose the person's private parts with the purpose of personal sexual arousal or gratification or to lure the minor into sexual activity. (C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of public indecency and shall be punished as provided in divisions (C)(2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section. (2) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender's conduct was a minor, a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of this section, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender's conduct was a minor, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of this section, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender's conduct was a minor, a felony of the fifth degree. (3) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3) of this section, a violation of division (A)(2) or (3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section, a violation of division (A)(2) or (3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender's conduct was a minor, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of this section, a violation of division (A)(2) or (3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender's conduct was a minor, a felony of the fifth degree. (4) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(4) of this section, a violation of division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any one violation of this section, a violation of division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of this section, a violation of division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section is a felony of the fifth degree. (5) A Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(5) of this section, a violation of division (B)(4) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any violation of this section, a violation of division (B)(4) of this section is a felony of the fifth degree. Sec. 2907.41. (A) Subject to division (D) of this section, a person who is charged with the commission of any sexually oriented offense or with a violation of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code shall appear before the court for the setting of bail if the person charged previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense, a violation of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code, or a violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially similar to section 2907.09 of the Revised Code. (B) To the extent that information about any of the following is available to the court, the court, in addition to any other circumstances considered by the court and notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Criminal Rule 46, shall consider all of the following before setting bail for a person who appears before the court pursuant to division (A) of this section: (1) Whether the person previously has been adjudicated a sexual predator or child-victim predator pursuant to Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code, previously has been determined to be a habitual sex offender or habitual child-victim offender pursuant to that Chapter, has a history of committing sexually oriented offenses or child-victim oriented offenses, or has a history of committing violations of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code or violations of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially similar to that section; (2) The mental health of the person; (3) Whether the person has a history of violating the orders of any court or governmental entity; (4) Whether the person is potentially a threat to any other person; (5) Whether the person has access to deadly weapons or a history of using deadly weapons; (6) Whether the person has a history of abusing alcohol or any controlled substance; (7) The severity of the alleged conduct of the person that is the basis of the offense, including but not limited to, the duration of the alleged conduct, and whether the alleged conduct involved physical injury, assault, violence, or forcible entry to gain access to an alleged victim; ( 8 ) Whether the person has exhibited obsessive or controlling behaviors toward another person, including, but not limited to, stalking, surveillance, or isolation of another person; (9) Whether the person has expressed suicidal or homicidal ideations; (10) Any information contained in the complaint and any police reports, affidavits, or other documents accompanying the complaint. (C) Any court that has jurisdiction over charges alleging the commission of a sexually oriented offense or a violation of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code, in circumstances in which the person charged previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the offenses or violations described in division (A) of this section, may set a schedule for bail to be used in cases involving those offenses and violations. The schedule shall require that a judge consider all of the factors listed in division (B) of this section and may require judges to set bail at a certain level if the history of the alleged offender or the circumstances of the alleged offense meet certain criteria in the schedule. (D)(1) Upon the court's own motion or the motion of a party and upon any terms that the court may direct, a court may permit a person who is required to appear before it by division (A) of this section to appear by video conferencing equipment. (2) If, in the opinion of the court, the appearance in person or by video conferencing equipment of a person who is charged with a misdemeanor and who is required to appear before the court by division (A) of this section is not practicable, the court may waive the appearance and release the person on bail in accordance with the court's schedule for bail set under division (C) of this section or, if the court has not set a schedule for bail under that division, on one or both of the following types of bail in an amount set by the court: (a) A bail bond secured by a deposit of ten per cent of the amount of the bond in cash; (b) A surety bond, a bond secured by real estate or securities as allowed by law, or the deposit of cash, at the option of the person. (3) Division (A) of this section does not create a right in a person to appear before the court for the setting of bail or prohibit a court from requiring any person charged with a sexually oriented offense or a violation of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code who is not described in that division from appearing before the court for the setting of bail. (E) As used in this section, "child-victim oriented offense," "child-victim predator," "habitual child-victim offender," "habitual sex offender," "sexually oriented offense," and "sexual predator" have the same meanings as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code. SECTION 2. That existing section 2907.09 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=126_SB_0245

Magic407- 01-02-2007

Governor Signs Tougher Sex Offender Bill Jan 02 2007 6:21PM Ohio Governor Bob Taft signed a series of new sex offender bills Tuesday. The bills are intended to toughen the punishments for sex offenders in the state. The inspiration for the Ohio laws came from the tragic case of Jessica Lunsford, the 9-year-old Florida girl who was abducted and killed by a registered sex offender. Part of the lobbying came from Jessica's farther, Mark Lunsford. He visited with and lobbied Ohio lawmakers about Jessica's story and new legislation that had been enacted in Florida. Bill supporter Lori Robertson says, "We were shocked at how lenient the law was in regards to a sexual predator. So, just taking the action to make sure that the law is changed and that the law is a little bit stricter now on the sexual predators, it's a good feeling to know that her brave action brought about such a great thing." In addition to increasing penalties, the new Ohio laws would also force courts to consider prior related criminal history prior to setting bail. Sexually violent predators will also have to wear GPS tracking devices, and judges will impose a mandatory two-year sentence if victims are under the age of 13. Senator Steve Austria says, "We have zero tolerance for that kind of crime and we will take you off the streets for a very, very long time." The governor also signed another bill Tuesday called Nicole's Law. That would require a sex offender to appear before both a judge and the parole board. http://www.10tv.com/?sec=news&story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200701/1480572285.html

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