FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        Thursday, March 20, 2008

Contact: Senator Joseph Foster

(603) 271-2111

SENATE SENDS ONLINE CHILD SAFETY ACT TO THE HOUSE 

CONCORD – The Senate voted 24-0 today in favor of tougher laws to protect children from online predators and child pornographers. Senate Bill 495 now heads to the House.

The Online Child Safety Act was sponsored by Senator Joseph Foster (D-Nashua), who worked with Governor John Lynch to modernize and strengthen the state’s laws covering Internet solicitation of children, child pornography and indecent exposure via new technologies such as web cams.

“The Internet holds tremendous opportunity, but it also has the potential to be a dangerous place for kids,” Foster said. He noted a national study that found approximately one in seven young people who use the Internet received unwanted sexual solicitations online.

“This legislation is crucial to our children. They deserve the best protection we can offer from predators who would abuse and exploit them using the Internet,” said Senator Robert Letourneau (R-Derry), a co-sponsor.

 The legislation builds on the Child Protection Act passed in 2006, which also was sponsored by Senator Foster. Numerous law enforcement officers, including police, county prosecutors and the state Attorney General support the legislation.

“Parents must continue to monitor their children’s activities online but this legislation would help them and help law enforcement by providing some new tools to keep dangerous criminals away from our children,” said Senator Betsi DeVries (D-Manchester), also a co-sponsor.

Senate Bill 495 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 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.