Missouri joins other states in the proposal of Caylee's Law
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Missouri joins other states in the proposal of Caylee's Law

Date: February 20, 2012
By: Tyler Fine
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
A bill establishing Caylee's Law has been proposed to a Missouri House Committee after the child homicide case of Casey Anthony in Florida.
RunTime:  0:32
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill follows the lead of many other states, including Florida and Illinois, in establishing a law requiring parents and guardians to report a child as missing within 24 hours.

The acquittal of Casey Anthony inspired the bill. Anthony waited 31 days to report her child Caylee as missing.

Actuality:  MCGEOG2.WAV
Run Time:  00:04
Description: I think it's a sad day when we have to create laws to make people do the right thing.

The idea of Caylee's Law gained support through websites such as Change.org, whose online petition for the law recieved over 1.3 million signatures.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Tyler Fine.

 

Intro: 
Following the lead of several other states, a Missouri House committee heard a bill to establish Caylee's Law, after the child homicide case of Casey Anthony.
RunTime:  0:44
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill would require a parent or guardian to report a missing child within 24 hours of noticing the child is gone.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Representative Billy Pat Wright says inspiration for the bill came from the acquittal of Casey Anthony. Anthony waited 31 days to report her child, Caylee, as missing.

Actuality:  BPWRIGHT.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: Seven in ten respondents were dissatisfied with the verdict that was reached, however, the verdict was there, and that's it, what we could do with it. If we'd had this law in place in Florida, perhaps there'd have been a different outcome.

Wright says he hopes the bill can help in future missing child cases, by making the failure to report a child missing as a Class B Felony.

The committee made no further action on the bill.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Tyler Fine.

Intro: 
Missouri joins other states in proposing missing child report requirements after the Casey Anythony child homicide trial in Florida.
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A Missouri House committee heard the bill to establish Caylee's Law.

The bill would require any parent or guardian to report a child as missing within 24 hours, making a failure to do so a Class B Felony.

Members of the committee expressed concern over the language of the bill, some suggesting shortening the time required for reporting.

Other suggestions for changes were to hold relatives and other adults in charge of children as responsible for reporting.

Wright says he is happy to work with the committee to continue work on amending the bill to fit the committee's standards.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Tyler Fine.