Representative deMacedo Pleased with Bipartisan Support

February 25, 2010

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON – Representative deMacedo is pleased the Massachusetts House of Representatives have unanimously adopted a bipartisan amendment that if signed into law would provide greater protection to minors.

While taking up An Act Punishing Assault and Battery by Means of a Bodily Substance upon Correction Facility Employees, Representative deMacedo was one of the dozens of co-sponsors who supported the amendment.  It was offered in response to the Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling made on February 5th.   The SJC ruled in favor of a child predator who had been sending sexually explicit content through online communications.

The amendment will expand the statute by prohibiting the dissemination of harmful material to a minor via instant messaging or other online communications.

The Plymouth lawmaker filed legislation a couple weeks ago because he was concerned that the state’s statute under which the defendant was convicted had not been updated to reflect society’s current electronic age.

After an examination of the statute and its legislative history, the Court stated that the Legislature must take action if it wanted to ensure that our children are protected from predators seeking to electronically disseminate obscene material to minors.

Representative deMacedo stated, “I am glad that we moved so quickly to close this loophole in the child predator laws.  You can never be too vigilant in protecting the children of our Commonwealth from all forms of electronic predators.”

The bill now heads to the Senate for approval.