KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | State Rep calls for stricter sex offender penalties

State Rep calls for stricter sex offender penalties

BY SARA GOLDENBERG
SGOLDENBERG@KJCT8.COM

GRAND JUNCTION (KJCT)- Calling for stricter penalties for first time child sex offenders-- State Representative Laura Bradford (R) is set to introduce a new bill to the state legislature on Thursday.

Bradford said Colorado needs stricter penalties to keep sex offenders from hurting children. She said there needs to be a mandatory minimum sentence to ensure sex offenders are put behind bars for a long time.

Bradford wants to pass a Colorado-specific version of Jessica's Law. Jessica's Law has been passed in several states across the country, and mandates sentences of 25 years to life for first time child sex offenders.

Bradford said some of Colorado's laws concerning sex offenders are strong-- but the state really needs a mandatory minimum sentence.

"There's just simply too many predators, convicted felons, that get light sentences, two to three to five years even, that are out on the street again. And you can say they're supervised, but they're still free to walk around on the streets," she said.

A similar bill failed to pass before because it was too costly-- and Bradford admited this would cost the state millions of dollars.

She said the cost is a legitimate concern, but said "it's hard to argue that's it's wrong to spend money protecting Colorado's innocent children."

Bradford's fight for this bill has even made it on national television. Wednesday night on Fox News, Bill O'Reilly mentioned Bradford in his "Pinhead or Patriot" segment for her work on the bill. For the record, O'Reilly did call her a "patriot."