Background: In my April column “Texas bill to create domestic violence offender registry will harm innocent men” (Austin American-Statesman, 4/11/07), I explained that Texas HB 3958 will ensnare and punish many innocent men. This is in part because of the problems with the way Texas law enforcement and the judicial system handle domestic violence.
Once again reflecting the weakness of our movement both in the legislature and the media, HB 3958 was just passed by the Corrections Committee of the Texas House by a unanimous vote. The problems with the bill are detailed in my co-authored column below.
For Texas voters, the five Representatives that voted to support the bill were Madden; Hochberg; McReynolds; Haggerty; Jones, Delwin. Two representatives–Dunnam and Oliveira–were absent.ÂÂÂ
Texas bill to create domestic violence offender registry will harm innocent
men
By Mike McCormick and Glenn Sacks
Austin American-Statesman, 4/11/07
House Bill 3958, sponsored by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio), will set up a domestic violence offender registry similar to the Texas Sex Offender Registry. Castro is correct to identify domestic violence as an important issue; however, there are serious problems with the way law enforcement and the judicial system handle domestic violence. These problems will cause many innocent men to be ensnared by this bill.
HB 3958 would set up a central database containing information on anyone who has been convicted or “received a grant of deferred adjudication” for a family violence offense on three occasions. The three conviction requirement is defensible, but the inclusion of deferred adjudications  which are analogous to plea bargains  is a major problem. (more…)
|
