Nancy Jacobs, R-Harford, is among the state senators reintroducing legislation known as Jessica?s Law, providing stiff mandatory sentences with no opportunity for parole for sexual offenders.
Punishment for sex crimes and supervision of offenders after their release were bolstered in a law passed last year. Jacobs said in a statement that the new law was “a good starting point” but complained that too many provisions were “watered down,” especially by allowing parole.
Under the proposed bill, co-sponsored by all 14 Senate Republicans and 10 Democrats, those convicted of a first-degree sexual offense or rape would get a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years to life with no chance of parole. A second-degree offense would be punished by a sentence of at least five years with no chance of parole.
Jacobs said the measure is backed by six of the 11 members of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, which would hear the bill.
