Senator files bills for stricter punishment for sexual predators
11/16/2006 12:20 PM
By: Associated Press
A Texas legislator who authored child protection measures known as �Ashley's Laws'' has filed bills to toughen penalties for sexual predators of youngsters.

The chief measure filed by Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano creates a new offense of continuous sexual abuse that�s punishable by 25 years in prison. Under the bill, continuous sexual abuse can be multiple offenses to one child or isolated offenses on multiple children.

Other sex offender measures filed by Shapiro would

require global satellite tracking of high risk sex offenders who have been released
eliminate the legal order in which repeat offenses are considered before the state's "two strikes'' law and the automatic life sentence takes effect
require sex offenders from other states who move to Texas to register with Texas authorities. Shapiro's office said that is not currently required under state law
eliminate probation for sex offense and violent offenses such as murder in a jury trial