Abuse bill gets tentative OK (TX- makes a "false" charge a felony)

[Rose Siding]

AUSTIN - The Texas Senate gave tentative approval Wednesday to a bill that would overhaul the way the state investigates abuse of children and the elderly and would make it a felony to "knowingly" make false allegations.

State Sen. Jane Nelson's measure is in response to Gov. Rick Perry's call for emergency reforms to fix the state's troubled child and adult protective services agencies.

In the past year, a series of child deaths and near tragedies involving both children and older and incapacitated adults has shocked the public. Many of the more publicized cases occurred despite earlier intervention by state caseworkers who say they are handling too many cases because of job turnover.
...
But the issue that attracted the most discussion on the Senate floor was the proposal that false reporting of abuse should be made a felony, punishable upon conviction by up to two years in a state jail facility.

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, argued that the provision would deter people from reporting abuse because they could be sent to jail if they are wrong.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3065949

[Richard Steele]

1. While I agree that false charges are a serious problem....

I really think that false charges should be considered a crime.

However, I get a BAD feeling that this is being done in TEXAS.
I have ZERO faith that this is gonna actually make anything better for anyone.

I'd like to read this legislation and see what it ACTUALLY does before I comment any further.

[asjr]

6. What bothers me about this is if the law

can be used not just in this case, but could it allow Tom DeLay to sue or put someone in jail because they "falsely accused me of corruption." He is still a very powerful man.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Yeah..let's make people who are actually abused afraid to come

forward for fear that they will be called frauds.

Further down note that they intend to privatize the system. This will HELP private corps avoid punishment since they can get their team of lawyers to intimidate legitimate complaints.

[MountainLaurel]

4. Absolutely

There was a molestation case in MD recently that involved a "false report." Teenager reported that her stepfather raped her. Because there was no physical "proof" and because her mother claimed that the girl was just trying to get attention, she was charged with making a false clain and had to do community service. Well, the mother requested that the husband move back in and the judge allowed it. A year later the girl had a baby, who was genetically proven to be the stepfather's child. Wonder if that was proof enough?

[Igel]

11. That's a shame.

(And it's not meant flippantly.)

But it's certainly in the "tough case makes for bad law" category. If a child's word was taken as sufficient, it makes for problems. If a child's word isn't taken as sufficient, it makes for problems.

And I'm hesitant to blame the mother. I could, but I don't think it's reasonable. She probably so didn't want it to be true that she didn't see evidence.

Sad.

[whathappened]

3. wtf

i thought we were suppose to be getting smarter in life , now this kind of crap will make alot of people look the other way , who and the hell wants to got to jail if the abusers can lie up a storm and make the good person look like a fool

[antigone382]

5. Just what Texas needs...to make getting help harder for abused women.

Let's make the already difficult and frightening act of reporting abuse just a little more threatening. It's not like Texas is a state where women are abused and murdered regularly, with almost no retribution. Besides, if we can just shut up all the people who complain about it, the problem will just go away, right?

I swear, Texas is the most anti-woman state in the country.

[Bridget Burke]

7. What crap.

False charges should be punished--but making them felonies?

Social Services have been suffering here for a long time. Mostly because of slashed funding.

[LynnTheDem]

8. USA is already #1 in the world for highest number of citizens in jail.

So let's make more silly laws to toss more citizens in jail while ignoring the causes.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. So, now the concerned neighbor who sees the child with constant bruises

running around barefoot, in a dirty diaper will be afraid to report it. Yes, that should solve the problem. It will free up CPS workers to deal with the real abuse/neglect cases.

/sarcasm

[ogradda]

10. it's hard enough to deal with that kind of thing.

and now you have to worry that if they don't believe you you'll be charged with a felony? what a crock.

[Bridget Burke]

12. Another detail: Foster care will be "privatized"

Just as Bush the Fatter did in Florida. How well did that work out?

[Misunderestimator]

13. Yes, indeed... and Florida would rather lose a child in the system

literally... than allow a gay person to adopt one.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

14. Well the Dollars were able to foster 7 and emaciate 2