Governor Lynch Asks House Committee to Help Protect Children from Online Predators

For Immediate Release:                                  Contact: Colin Manning
Thursday, April 3, 2008                                 (603) 271-2121
                                                               

Governor Lynch Asks House Committee to Help Protect Children from Online Predators

Online Child Safety Act Was Developed With the Attorney General and Law Enforcement; Builds on Child Protection Act of 2006

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today asked the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee to continue the state's efforts to protect children from sexual predators by passing the Online Child Safety Act.

The legislation, developed with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, the Attorney General and New Hampshire's law enforcement community, modernizes the state's laws to better protect children from sexual predators who use the Internet. The legislation builds on the Child Protection Act passed in 2006, which is one of the country's toughest laws to protect children from sexual predators.

The Senate last month passed the measure unanimously.

"People who prey on our children are among the most dangerous criminals we face. They target our most precious and our most vulnerable citizens, and the damage they do lasts a lifetime," Gov. Lynch said. "While the Internet holds tremendous opportunity for New Hampshire's children, it also has the potential to be a dangerous place for kids. We must ensure our laws are protecting our children from threats posed by today's technological world. That is why I believe we must act to toughen the penalties for people who use the Internet to prey on our children."

With greater access to the Internet and advancing technology, children are increasingly exposed to graphic on-line images and unwanted solicitations. Research has shown that despite the use of filters, blockers and software monitoring, unwanted exposure to sexual material on the Internet has increased over the last five years.

"We must make sure we have the laws we need to protect our children from the threats of the 21st century," Gov. Lynch said.

The bill strengthens the penalties in existing law for enticing a child over the Internet, and provides enhanced penalties for repeat offenders; it overhauls and expands existing child pornography laws to better reflect the victimization that occurs everyday when images of sexually abused children are created and distributed; and it closes a loophole so that sex offenders using web cams can be held accountable.

This legislation is just one piece of a comprehensive effort to make New Hampshire a safer place for our children.

Gov. Lynch worked with lawmakers, the attorney general and the state's police chiefs two years ago to craft one of the toughest and most comprehensive child protection laws in the nation.

This year, the state added an Internet crimes prosecutor in the Attorney General's Office. The state is also continuing its efforts to help educate parents and children about the potential dangers lurking on the Internet.

"Parents are the most important people in protecting children from online predators. By monitoring their children's on-line activities, parents can help prevent exposure to sexually explicit material and unwanted solicitation from adults," Gov. Lynch said. "However, we realize the Internet is becoming easier to access everyday. A child can now access the Internet from just about anywhere - without parental or adult supervision. With this legislation, we are both helping parents and taking another important step forward in making our state a safer place for all our children."

Senate Bill 495 is sponsored by Sens. Joe Foster, Bob Letourneau and Betsi DeVries; Reps. David Welch and William Knowles.