News Release April 7, 2006
Central Point, OR April 7, 2006 – Oregon State Senator and candidate for Governor Jason Atkinson today pledged to use the upcoming Special Session of the Oregon Legislature to advance one of his campaign goals: passage of Jessica’s Law. Jessica’s Law, which has already been approved in 48 other states, would set lengthy, mandatory minimum sentences for child sex abusers as well as provide for better tracking of these predators.
“When Jessica’s Law was killed by the Democrats at the end of the 2005 Session,” Atkinson said, “it sent a signal to sexual predators that Oregon was a good place for them to do business. We do a better job of tracking Mad Cow disease than we do those who want to hurt our children. I’m going to use the upcoming Special Session to ensure this important law protecting our children is passed.”
Despite the opportunity it provides to stop sex abusers, Atkinson was critical of the Governor for calling the Legislature into Special Session. “As a veteran of five previous not-so-Special Sessions,” he said, “I understand that they are called for primarily political rather than policy reasons. As Thomas Jefferson said, ‘neither a man’s wife nor his wallet are safe’ when the Legislature is in session. The Governor already has the authority to solve the problems at the Department of Human Services, but he refuses to exercise the leadership that would be necessary. The Governor’s refusal to act just puts the exclamation point on why new leadership in the Governor’s office is absolutely critical. We have to stop doing things the way we’ve always done them. It increases the impression among voters that their government does not respect them.”
Atkinson is the only Republican candidate for Governor who will participate and have a vote in the Special Session. For more information, visit www.atkinsonforgovernor.com.
3 comments:
Maybe they should tack Jessica's Law on to the end of some other obscure bill and pass it without discussion like they do every session to give themselves a raise.
Don't look for a Jessica's Law to be passed. Peter Courtney and his cohort ( her name escapes me at the moment)will make every effort to block the bill, as they did during the last session of the legislature. They don't give one solitary damn about the safety of the kids, unless their position has changed since then, which I really doubt.
Kate Brown is the other anti-children opponent of Jessica's law. Don't look for it to get passed this time, either. Courtney and Brow will find some way to prevent any such bill from being passed as they did last session.
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