Eric Zahnd, Protect Missouri Children Co-Chair, is looking to spread voter awareness for an Amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
“The passage of this amendment is the single most important development for the protection of children in Missouri,” Zahnd said.
The House of Representatives (131-26) and Senate (30-2) overwhelmingly passed House Bill 13 on May 17. The resolution allows a sex offender’s prior convictions to be admissible during trial stages for a current sexual crime. The amendment will be on the ballot in November, passed with a majority yes vote.
Zahnd said Missouri was the most restrictive in the state when it applies to applying past convictions for sex offenders in cases. Both Kansas and Illinois, already allow prior convictions to be admissible in sexual predator cases. Zahnd said the amendment mirrors federal laws.
“We owe a duty to protect our most vulnerable citizens,” Zahnd said.
There was some opposition to the amendment. For all other crimes, prior history is inadmissible before sentencing. However, it is still up to the judge’s discretion whether to admit a prior case as evidence in the current trial.
