Audrii’s law goes into effect, ending sex offender registry loophole

[Jim Burton]

https://www.ketk.com/news/local-news/au ... -loophole/

TYLER, Texas (KETK) – Texas House Bill 2000, also known as Audrii’s law, went into effect on Monday, ending a loophole that kept convicted child groomers off the sex offender registry.

The bill was named for Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl from Polk County who was kidnapped and murdered in Feb. 2024.

[Not Forever]

Giving these laws the names of murdered and/or raped minors seems to be a common practice; is it a kind of political tactic to counter criticism?

[Jim Burton]

Well, the whole "child" thing is an excuse for incarceration, surveillance and going after sexual deviants, so naming the laws after victims is just another virtue signal. Being beyond criticism is right, but there is also the insidious part, where we normalize the idea of widespread rights curtailment on the basis of a singular emotional appeal. The idea you can just do that is precious to authoritarians, so they front-run and deliberately gloat about it in this way.

[Officerkrupke]

Well, the whole "child" thing is an excuse for incarceration, surveillance and going after sexual deviants, so naming the laws after victims is just another virtue signal. Being beyond criticism is right, but there is also the insidious part, where we normalize the idea of widespread rights curtailment on the basis of a singular emotional appeal. The idea you can just do that is precious to authoritarians, so they front-run and deliberately gloat about it in this way.

Anytime a child-protection law is named after a kidnapped child you know it’s going to be extreme.
See: Wetterling Act, Megan’s law

[Jim Burton]

Funny how these loopholes exist for decades, and then they are suddenly loopholes.

https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/loc ... 245009642e

TEMPLE, Texas — Across Texas, a number of new laws took effect on Sept. 1. One of the most notable changes expands the state’s sex offender registry.

At the center of this change is Cailey Rush, a Central Texas survivor whose fight for justice helped bring the law to life. At just 16 years old, Cailey discovered her stepfather had been secretly recording her in her bedroom and bathroom.