Sen. Lazich: Testifies To Protect Children and Families
ByLazich opposes bills to repeal local sex offender ordinances
Sen. Mary Lazich
Madison, WI- State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) told a state Assembly committee today that legislation to repeal local ordinances that restrict where released sex offenders can congregate and live is dangerous.
“Assembly Bill 759 (AB 759) and Senate Bill 548 (SB 548) impose the greatest risk to children and families in the state of Wisconsin,” Lazich told the state Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts. “Eliminating local ordinances that allow local communities and local law enforcement to do their jobs to protect society would put all residents, particularly children, in danger.”
Lazich’s state Senate District 28 includes the city of Franklin. During 2007, Franklin enacted two landmark sex offender ordinances that prevailed over nine constitutional challenges during 2008. The Franklin ordinances have been the model for the state. Over 100 similar local ordinances now in effect would be nullified if proposed state legislation were to become law.
“The ability for law enforcement to fully and effectively do their job is severely hampered because AB 759 and SB 548 transfer the responsibility for community safety to the state,” said Lazich. “The state does not have the full and adequate understanding of the community. Local law enforcement does have that keen knowledge and expertise suited for their community.”
“AB 759 and SB 548 are gambling,” said Lazich. “It is gambling with lives of children and the lives of all Wisconsin residents. These two bills increase the chance of children and Wisconsin residents being killed by released sex offenders, and before they will be killed, they will be tortured. We should be making it more difficult for offenders to kill children, not easier for them to sexually and violently rape and kill our constituents. My bet and my gamble are with local law enforcement, local citizens, and local elected officials, not with the state.”
Posted @ 8:00 p.m.
1 Comments
March 25th, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Too often the “feel good” measures put in place seem to give people a false sense of security regarding sexual offenders. My abuser was not a stanger to the family, nor was the abuser of my daughter, 40 years after my abuse, a stranger. My parents and my husband and I all thought we were keeping our children safe. Little did we suspect either the friend of the family or close relative.
The ordinances do not protect children, of any age. The offenders can drive to where the crimes take place. Too often it is a friend or relative and how can these ordinances protect anyone then?