HARTFORD—State Rep. Bill Simanski (R- Granby) voted for a bill on Monday that would allow law enforcement officers to charge a criminal misdemeanor offense to parents and guardians who wait longer than 24 hours to report a missing child under the age of 12.
Commonly referred to as “Caylee’s Law,” An Act Concerning the Reporting of a Missing Child (H.B. 5512) was initiated in response to the infamous Casey Anthony case heard in a Florida courtroom. In 2008, Anthony, who was eventually charged with first-degree murder, waited 31 days to report that her toddler Caylee was missing.
Endorsed by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, the proposal received unanimous support from member of the legislature’s Judiciary committee through a 42-0 vote. Next the bill will head for the House of Representatives.
“This is one of those issues that I wish didn’t need to be legislated,” said Simanski. “Unfortunately, people don’t always do the right thing use common sense. We have to try to protect children when the parents fail to.”
Simanski is a co-sponsor of the bill.
