There have been a number of attempts in the Maryland legislature to pass legislation to protect teens from sexual abuse by Persons in a Position of Authority over the years.
When discussing legislation that concerns adults having sexual contact with teens, Senator Bobby Zirkin cites the case of the 23 year old man who met a 15 year old girl in a bar. The audio below is from a Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing on March 7, 2012. In that hearing Senator Zirkin recounted the story of the 23 year old man.
We hope that when the Conference Committee that is set to meet on Monday, April 7th takes up Senate Bill 460 and House Bill 781 Senator Zirkin will not be citing this case.
The legislation that is before the Maryland General Assembly right now involves Persons in a Position of Authority over children. Those Persons KNOW they are the adults and KNOW they are in charge of children.
It's not a surprise!
It's not a bar!
It is children in schools, on teams, and in recreational programs that will be protected by the proposed legislation passed by the House.
Will the Conference Committee put the House version of this legislation before the full assembly for passage?
First speaker in audio is Assistant State's Attorney for Anne Arundel County. Then Senator Brian Frosh speaks and turns the floor over to Senator Bobby Zirkin who tells the story of the 23 year old in a bar.
Audio from March 7, 2012, Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Hearing
on Senate Bill 799 at approximately hour 3 of the audio.
Showing posts with label Sam Arora. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Arora. Show all posts
Sunday, April 6, 2014
...sexually explicit videos and images of children are often traded anonymously through online forums...
The FBI is asking for the public’s help to stop a child predator. They say the man they're looking for is known only as John Doe 28, and video found online shows him engaging in sexually-explicit activities with a young boy.After you read this article, then read about the same thing happening to MCPS students in MCPS classrooms. What has Superinendent Joshua Starr, the Board of Education, the County Council or the County Executive done to address the sexual abuse of MCPS students in their classrooms?
Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/25145595/fbi-asks-for-help-identifying-child-predator#ixzz2y6cMvTfY
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Guest Post: A 24 year- old volunteer basketball coach molested an adolescent after she took a position of a volunteer high school basketball coach in Montgomery County
We are concerned and disappointed that the Judicial Proceedings Committee, under the leadership of Senator Frosh, has refused to concur with House Judiciary's version of SB 460, Criminal Law -Person in Position - Sexual Offenses. This means that protections for children will necessarily be weakened since the foremost opponent of the bill, Senator Bobby Zirkin, a defense attorney, has been assigned to be the chairman of the conference committee by Senator Frosh. The other two Senate conferees are Senator Brochin who has previously supported Senator Zirkin's amendments last year regarding a similar bill and Senator Shank.
Nevertheless, Senator Raskin predicted in the Gazette that a strong consensus for the bill will emerge from the conference committee. However, a strong consensus is not the same as a strong bill for children and their parents. Last session, Senator Zirkin, sponsored an amendment on a similar bill that would have exempted part-time employees convicted of engaging in sexual contact, sexual act, or vaginal intercourse with students from the sex offender registry. He also sponsored an amendment requiring an eight year gap in age between victim and perpetrator before a prosecution involving a position of trust could commence, and he created a new defense for perpetrators which had never before been in current law. It is important for parents and others concerned with the safety of minors to let Senator Zirkin know that parents find these dangerous amendments unacceptable even in light of his threat to kill this important child protection measure.
Not only should we be alert to detrimental amendments that could be added to the bill at the last minute without a hearing on their merits, but parents should tell Senators Frosh, Zikin, Brochin and Shank that they do not want them to reject reasonable and necessary protections for children that have already passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously.
Sports or recreational facilities, or programs are magnets for sex offenders whether or not they obtain their positions of trust supervising youth as volunteers or paid employees. Access to children is what counts. For example, a 24 year- old volunteer basketball coach molested an adolescent after she took a position of a volunteer high school basketball coach in Montgomery County. Therefore, volunteers should not be stripped from the bill. Nor should individuals under contract with sports and recreation programs and schools.
Also in jeopardy is a provision which allows prosecutors to charge both child sexual abuse, a felony, and a violation of the position of authority statute, a misdemeanor. If that provision is deleted, a child molester who is a educator could not be charged with child sexual abuse, which occurs on campus, if, at the same time, the teacher was charged for engaging in the same behavior with the same child off- campus off- time. This is only one of many unfair protections in current law which need to finally be eliminated.
As one national expert on sexual abuse/assaults in institutions which serve children stated, there is a clear empathy gap in certain individuals when it comes to protecting child and adolescent victims of sexual assault/sexual abuse. This empathy gap still obstructs humane legislation in the 21st Century.
How many Sandusky scandals among others does it take to make certain legislators understand that certain coaches can pose serious threats to children that must not be ignored? The focus of public officials should be on welfare of vulnerable children and adolescents and holding accountable adults in positions of public trust who use them for their own sexual gratification.
Of course, the conferees could take a progressive step by raising the current penalty from imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1000 or both to the penalty that was originally drafted in the bill. That penalty called for imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $1000. It is hard to believe that this extremely modest penalty for what is in actuality child sexual abuse by a person in a position of public trust was rejected. Egregious crimes should not be minimized by such disproportionate sentences.
We therefore need to immediately ask legislators on the conference committee and their respective chairmen to place children's interests first and foremost in their deliberations. That would be the right thing to do. Killing the bill or weakening it any more would not be actions that are admirable or just. If they weaken the bill or kill it we want to know why.
~Concerned Maryland Parents
Nevertheless, Senator Raskin predicted in the Gazette that a strong consensus for the bill will emerge from the conference committee. However, a strong consensus is not the same as a strong bill for children and their parents. Last session, Senator Zirkin, sponsored an amendment on a similar bill that would have exempted part-time employees convicted of engaging in sexual contact, sexual act, or vaginal intercourse with students from the sex offender registry. He also sponsored an amendment requiring an eight year gap in age between victim and perpetrator before a prosecution involving a position of trust could commence, and he created a new defense for perpetrators which had never before been in current law. It is important for parents and others concerned with the safety of minors to let Senator Zirkin know that parents find these dangerous amendments unacceptable even in light of his threat to kill this important child protection measure.
Not only should we be alert to detrimental amendments that could be added to the bill at the last minute without a hearing on their merits, but parents should tell Senators Frosh, Zikin, Brochin and Shank that they do not want them to reject reasonable and necessary protections for children that have already passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously.
Sports or recreational facilities, or programs are magnets for sex offenders whether or not they obtain their positions of trust supervising youth as volunteers or paid employees. Access to children is what counts. For example, a 24 year- old volunteer basketball coach molested an adolescent after she took a position of a volunteer high school basketball coach in Montgomery County. Therefore, volunteers should not be stripped from the bill. Nor should individuals under contract with sports and recreation programs and schools.
Also in jeopardy is a provision which allows prosecutors to charge both child sexual abuse, a felony, and a violation of the position of authority statute, a misdemeanor. If that provision is deleted, a child molester who is a educator could not be charged with child sexual abuse, which occurs on campus, if, at the same time, the teacher was charged for engaging in the same behavior with the same child off- campus off- time. This is only one of many unfair protections in current law which need to finally be eliminated.
As one national expert on sexual abuse/assaults in institutions which serve children stated, there is a clear empathy gap in certain individuals when it comes to protecting child and adolescent victims of sexual assault/sexual abuse. This empathy gap still obstructs humane legislation in the 21st Century.
How many Sandusky scandals among others does it take to make certain legislators understand that certain coaches can pose serious threats to children that must not be ignored? The focus of public officials should be on welfare of vulnerable children and adolescents and holding accountable adults in positions of public trust who use them for their own sexual gratification.
Of course, the conferees could take a progressive step by raising the current penalty from imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1000 or both to the penalty that was originally drafted in the bill. That penalty called for imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $1000. It is hard to believe that this extremely modest penalty for what is in actuality child sexual abuse by a person in a position of public trust was rejected. Egregious crimes should not be minimized by such disproportionate sentences.
We therefore need to immediately ask legislators on the conference committee and their respective chairmen to place children's interests first and foremost in their deliberations. That would be the right thing to do. Killing the bill or weakening it any more would not be actions that are admirable or just. If they weaken the bill or kill it we want to know why.
~Concerned Maryland Parents
And in this corner, standing up to protect children from sexual abuse...
That is, they won't back down from the bill they passed to protect children from sexual abuse by teachers, part-time teachers, contract employees, coaches and recreational program staff.
The House has appointed their 3 representatives to the Conference Committee that will decide what happens to this bill.
For the House, Delegates Dumais, Arora and Hough have been appointed to the Conference Committee on this legislation. (Dumais and Arora are from Montgomery County)
Will Maryland children win or lose when the Committee meets?
| House | 4/5/2014 | 3/29/2014 | House Refuses to Recede | 65 |
| Conference Committee Appointed | 65 | |||
| Delegates Dumais, Arora, and Hough | 65 |
Friday, April 4, 2014
Maryland has three days left...to...close a loophole for sexual conduct with students
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland has three days left in its legislative session and as the state works to wrap up its budget, pass a minimum wage and medical marijuana and close a loophole for sexual conduct with students...
Coaches and part-time teachersGeneral Assembly heads into final days
Sen. Jamie B. Raskin is confident a committee of conferees can iron out differences in bills that seek to further restrict adults from having sexual conduct with students.
Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park said his bill is headed for conference committee and he is confident members can reach a consensus before the session ends.
“I’m very optimistic we can come out with a strong consensus,” he said. “I think that after more than a decade of trying this will be the year.”
Maryland law criminalizes sexual contact between certain people who are considered to be in a “position of authority” and minors in their care. But the law is limited to principals, vice principals, teachers and school counselors, and it only applies to individuals who are full-time, permanent employees. It does not apply to part-time employees and coaches, substitute teachers or volunteers.
A 2012 case in Montgomery County illustrated the limit of the current law. A 47-year-old teacher and coach who was accused of having sex with a 16-year-old former student couldn’t be prosecuted because he was a part-time employee.
Friday, February 28, 2014
More State Funds for Private School in closed MCPS high school building
MCPS needs school construction money, right?
Here's a MCPS closed school that was constructed with State funds that was turned over to a private school for pennies. Now, the private school wants more funding from taxpayers and our Montgomery County Delegates are pushing a bill to do just that.
Public school students? This property belonged to you, but our County Executive, County Council, State Delegates and the Governor worked very hard to turn this entire high school building and property over to a private interest. Public school students can stay in trailers as far as they are concerned.
By: Delegates Bonnie Cullison, Sam Arora, and Ben Kramer
Introduced and read first time: February 24, 2014
HB1478
2014 Regular Session
Entitled:
Creation of a State Debt - Montgomery County - Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy
Sponsored by:
Delegate Cullison
Status:
In the House - Hearing 3/10 at 10:30 a.m.
SummaryDocumentsHistory
Synopsis: Authorizing the creation of a State Debt in the amount of $65,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy for specified development or improvement purposes related to the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, located in Montgomery County; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; prohibiting the use of the loan proceeds or matching fund for sectarian religious purposes; etc.
Analysis: Not available at this time
All Sponsors: Delegates Cullison, Arora, and Kramer
Additional Facts: Cross-filed with: SB0917
Bill File Type: Regular
Effective Date(s): June 1, 2014
Committee(s):
Appropriations
Broad Subject(s): State Debt (Bond Bills)
Narrow Subject(s): Montgomery County
Private Schools
Religion -see also- Churches
State Bonds
Here's a MCPS closed school that was constructed with State funds that was turned over to a private school for pennies. Now, the private school wants more funding from taxpayers and our Montgomery County Delegates are pushing a bill to do just that.
Public school students? This property belonged to you, but our County Executive, County Council, State Delegates and the Governor worked very hard to turn this entire high school building and property over to a private interest. Public school students can stay in trailers as far as they are concerned.
By: Delegates Bonnie Cullison, Sam Arora, and Ben Kramer
Introduced and read first time: February 24, 2014
HB1478
2014 Regular Session
Entitled:
Creation of a State Debt - Montgomery County - Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy
Sponsored by:
Delegate Cullison
Status:
In the House - Hearing 3/10 at 10:30 a.m.
SummaryDocumentsHistory
Synopsis: Authorizing the creation of a State Debt in the amount of $65,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy for specified development or improvement purposes related to the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, located in Montgomery County; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; prohibiting the use of the loan proceeds or matching fund for sectarian religious purposes; etc.
Analysis: Not available at this time
All Sponsors: Delegates Cullison, Arora, and Kramer
Additional Facts: Cross-filed with: SB0917
Bill File Type: Regular
Effective Date(s): June 1, 2014
Committee(s):
Appropriations
Broad Subject(s): State Debt (Bond Bills)
Narrow Subject(s): Montgomery County
Private Schools
Religion -see also- Churches
State Bonds
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