Child Abuse Reporting Requirements

To:  New Mexico Senate & House of Representatives

We the people of the state of New Mexico hereby support laws designed to protect our children and deter child abuse and neglect. We support Senate Bill 22 regarding Child Abuse Reporting Requirements as outlined here:
http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=S&legtype=B&legno=%20%2022&year=09

We believe that it is every child's right to grow up in a safe and loving environment and that we, as adults, are responsible for ensuring their safety and well-being. We support charging family members who are aware of, and do not report, any one instance of or ongoing child abuse or neglect with a fourth-degree felony (up to 18 months in prison) if that child survives, and a third-degree felony (up to three years in prison) if that child dies.

We are appalled and dismayed at the current punishments such as 30 days in county jail for close family members who keep silent, allowing a child to be beaten, raped, starved, neglected, thrown, mutilated, tortured, inhumanely abused, and murdered.

These occurrences are not acceptable in any society, let alone in a society as advanced as ours, and it is time we stand up, united, and say "enough".

Please hear us when we say we will support this legislation to toughen existing laws and provide mandatory sentencing to those co-conspirators who abuse our children. Please support and pass Senate Bill 22.

May God help us all and watch over the children.

Thank You.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Child Abuse Reporting Requirements Petition to New Mexico Senate & House of Representatives was created by and written by Stefanie Fawcett Ortega (forcesofgood@live.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.