Gov. Heineman's Statement on First Round Passage of Sex Offender Bill, LB 1199
(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman issued the following statement after first-round approval of LB 1199, the comprehensive approach to protecting Nebraska families from sexual predators developed jointly by Attorney General Jon Bruning, Sen. Pat Bourne of Omaha, Chairman of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, and the Governor.
The bill would stiffen the penalties for criminals who perpetrate on children, it would enable new post-sentence monitoring of offenders and would create a new mental health commitment standard for offenders deemed unsafe to return to society. LB 1199 would also include some guidelines for a narrowly focused residency restriction.
Gov. Heineman said, "These offenders are the kinds of people who should be punished severely, because having even one child harmed is one child too many. Sexual predators are also among the most difficult criminals to rehabilitate, and LB 1199 addresses these challenges head-on. I am pleased with the Legislature's decision to advance this important bill, and on behalf of all Nebraskans, I am gratified by the good work of Senator Bourne."
