Monday, May 23, 2016
WASHINGTON – The Senate today passed legislation championed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley to keep communities informed of the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders and to expand and protect the rights of sex assault victims. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act Reauthorization passed the Senate by a vote of 89-0.
“Too many kids are falling prey to sexual predators. The names Johnny Gosch, Eugene Martin and Jetseta Gage bring heartbreak to Iowans. And too many people have had to cope with the physical and emotional trauma of a sexual assault. I introduced this legislation to help prevent future tragedies and ensure that victims have a good shot at justice. Today’s vote in the Senate reaffirms our commitment to protecting the rights of those who have experienced a sexual assault while helping communities across America work together to guard against future atrocities,” Grassley said.
The original Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which passed in 2006, established nationwide notification and registration standards for convicted sex offenders to bolster information sharing between law enforcement agencies and increase public safety through greater awareness. The bill’s funding authorization expired several years ago
Grassley’s bill that was approved in the Senate today reauthorizes key programs in the 2006 act to help states meet the national standards and locate offenders who fail to properly register or periodically update their information as the law requires. Specifically, Grassley’s bill reauthorizes the Sex Offender Management Assistance Program, a federal grant program that assists state and local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to improve sex offender registry systems and information sharing capabilities. The bill also extends the Jessica Lunsford Address Verification Grant Program, which makes available federal grants to states and localities to periodically verify the home addresses of registered sex offenders. Finally, the bill authorizes resources for the U.S. Marshals Service to aid state and local law enforcement in the location and apprehension of sex offenders who fail to comply with registration requirements.
Grassley’s bill also established new rights for victims of sexual assault and human trafficking offenses. These provisions ensure that victims of federal crimes of sexual violence cannot be denied or charged for forensic exams, and that sexual assault evidence collection kits must be preserved without charge for the statutory limitation period or at least 20 years. It would authorize Justice Department grants to states that ensure that sexual violence survivors are notified of any applicable legal rights. It also calls for the creation of a federal working group to develop best practices relating to the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors as well as the preservation of forensic evidence in sexual violence cases. Finally, the Grassley amendment, which was developed with the input of victim advocates and other senators, would extend the statutory deadline by which many child survivors of human trafficking offenses can file civil lawsuits against their perpetrators.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act is named for a six-year-old Florida boy who was kidnapped and murdered in 1981. Adam’s father, John Walsh, collaborated with Congress to develop the 2006 law and this reauthorization bill. Cosponsors of Grassley’s bill include senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Christopher Coons (D-Del.), among others. The bill is also supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Rise, Shared Hope International, and Polaris.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act Reauthorization is the 17th bill reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee under Grassley’s leadership, all of which have enjoyed bipartisan support.
Photos of Grassley with Adam Walsh’s brother, Cal Walsh, and Amanda Nguyen, a rape survivor and president of Rise, are available HERE.
Text of the bill is available HERE.
