Source: journal-news.com 11/16/22
A bill to modify the state’s law on people charged civilly, but not criminally, with child sexual abuse had its first hearing Tuesday in the House Criminal Justice Committee.
House Bill 689 would double the statute of limitations, from two years to four, for prosecuting a mandatory reporter who failed to report child abuse, said the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati. That is the longest period for any misdemeanor offense, he said.
For cases in which the statute of limitations for prosecuting sex offenders has expired, legislation in 2006 established a civil-judgment process that allowed accused offenders to be put on a civil sex offender registry at any time, separate from the registry for those who were criminally convicted, Seitz said.
So keeping this in mind of double the statute of limitations for a mandatory reporter do you think that some may just accuse/report someone who may be totally innocent just to cover their own butts so nothing comes back and slaps them in the face for non-reporting. “So what if I am wrong” they would say to themselves “as long as I am not charged personally for non-reporting“.
(That law established a criminal penalty for not complying with the registry, but courts said a criminal penalty couldn’t be attached to a civil offense, he said. So HB 689 makes noncompliance with registering a civil violation, punishable by a fine up to $2,500.)
Wait a minute, so they have a civil sex offender registry and a criminal sex offender registry? But everyone with the sex offender registry has said, the sex offender registry is is civil scheme. Not criminal! This year would prove that they cannot attach a criminal penalty to a civil scheme. I think the more and more they keep on making this thing bigger and bigger, they are going to expose it as a punishment. And hopefully the courts will agree.
Another ” path of least resistance ” attack on free speech.
Unlike convicted persons, mandatory “reporters” under color of law haven’t factually signed a standard waiver of civil rights. However a group of professionals could decide by or thru convention to report but this activity isn’t a statute its best practices. Free speech & morality are intrinsically linked. See Packingham. Iwasf we already know people get wrongfully convicted with false assumptions why demand a mandatory information statute with criminal liability. IMO AMERICA HAS TO MANY KARENS ALREADY.
Soon there will be a separate registry for hypothetical sex offenses. Or maybe even unintentional sex offenses. Anyway they can get away with it they will try.