Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Sexual Big Brother on the March
What was the Pierre Trudeau said, "The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation." Apparently the state of Missouri disagrees. Of all the pointless unenforceable pieces of garbage legislation that have ever... Well, realistically this doesn't come close to the stupidest thing a legislature has ever done, but it is the rank idiocity for this week.
Jax
ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH - A bill that seeks to overhaul Missouri's child abuse reporting laws could require teachers, doctors, nurses and others to report sexually active teenagers and children to the state's abuse hot line. Until Monday, the bill had been sailing through the legislature with little formal debate. It was scheduled for a House vote this morning, but on Monday the bill's author sent it back to committee for revisions. . .
Perhaps the most controversial provision of the bill is one that many say would require educators, medical personnel and other professionals to report "substantial evidence of sexual intercourse by an unmarried minor under the age of consent." Critics say the language would, in essence, require child abuse reports even of cases of consensual sex between two teens. Byrd claims the bill seeks only to target sex by children under the age of 15. Regardless of the age covered by the bill, some opponents say its consequences would be stifling for those who are required by law to report child abuse.
That list of "mandated reporters" includes educators, physicians, nurses and other professionals who come in contact with children.
Jax
ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH - A bill that seeks to overhaul Missouri's child abuse reporting laws could require teachers, doctors, nurses and others to report sexually active teenagers and children to the state's abuse hot line. Until Monday, the bill had been sailing through the legislature with little formal debate. It was scheduled for a House vote this morning, but on Monday the bill's author sent it back to committee for revisions. . .
Perhaps the most controversial provision of the bill is one that many say would require educators, medical personnel and other professionals to report "substantial evidence of sexual intercourse by an unmarried minor under the age of consent." Critics say the language would, in essence, require child abuse reports even of cases of consensual sex between two teens. Byrd claims the bill seeks only to target sex by children under the age of 15. Regardless of the age covered by the bill, some opponents say its consequences would be stifling for those who are required by law to report child abuse.
That list of "mandated reporters" includes educators, physicians, nurses and other professionals who come in contact with children.
