To call Jessica’s Law a “terrible bill” (9/12, Letters) is ignorant and offensive to any decent human being, particularly to those of us who heard the testimony of Jessica’s father. I was a member of the judiciary committee that held hearings on this bill and formulated its final version.
This law requires that violent sexual predators of children be put in prison for a minimum of 25 years. The perpetrator of the abduction and brutal rape of this 9-year-old girl, who then wrapped her in a bag and buried her alive, would never have had the opportunity to commit the crime had the law been on the books.
The writer is concerned about the costs of protecting society by incarcerating the most evil criminals. Were we to follow that line of reasoning, he should hope that one of them does not show up in his neighborhood.
As for Phill Kline, I personally observed his great effort to get this law passed. It is not too much to assert that without his insistence, the bill might have been different and less effective. For the protection of our children, he does, indeed, deserve credit.
As for the legislature being “stampeded,” nothing could be further from the truth. We passed this bill overwhelmingly.
S. Mike Kiegerl
43rd District representative
Kansas House of Representatives
Olathe
