For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2009

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Republican Attorneys General Jon Bruning (Nebraska), Troy King (Alabama) and Rob McKenna (Washington) have announced new initiatives to fight sexual predators in their 2009 legislative agendas. The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), the nation’s largest caucus of Republican state leaders, noted that these proposals continue the ongoing efforts of these three Attorneys General, along with other Republican Attorneys General across the country, to keep individuals, especially children, safe from harm.

“Republican Attorneys General are working to keep individuals safe from sexual predators – whether it’s on the school yard, in their neighborhood or on the internet,” said RSLC President Scott Ward. “One of the foremost obligations of the state is to protect citizens from harm, and Attorneys General Bruning, King and McKenna are doing just that with the legislative agendas they have each announced in their home states to strengthen penalties and laws against sex offenders.”

Attorney General Jon Bruning (Nebraska) – Child Protection Bill:

• Protects Nebraska children from Internet sexual predators by making it illegal for registered sex offenders to use social networking sites

• Requires offenders to share their online aliases and profiles on social networking sites as a condition of sex offender registration

Attorney General Troy King (Alabama) – Online Solicitation Bill:

• Make the intent to lure a child for immoral purposes punishable regardless of whether a child is involved (courts in Alabama are dismissing charges on the basis that it was not a child but an undercover policeman that was actually soliciting)

• Expand Alabama’s child solicitation law to include electronic communications other than online as new technologies develop

Attorney General Rob McKenna (Washington) – Sexually Violent Predators Bill:

• Streamline the state’s ability to civilly commit dangerous offenders.

• Clarify where civil commitment proceedings may be filed, especially in cases where the sexually violent offense occurred outside of Washington.

• Make it easier for the AGO to receive court records.

• Prevent the AGO from being charged court fees in excess of those charged to county prosecutors.

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State legislator. The RSLC is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders in the country – making a national impact one state at a time.

The RSLC has over 70,000 donors from all 50 states supporting the RSLC’s goals to pursue a pro-growth agenda, including reforming the tax code, healthcare and legal systems; promoting a better educational system; encouraging sound energy initiatives; and advocating public safety through tough, crime-fighting policies. During the 2008 election, the RSLC helped maintain the number of Republican Attorneys General and Lieutenant Governors across the U.S. In addition, the RSLC was able to deliver new Republican majorities in the Montana, Oklahoma and Tennessee state senates, as well as an unprecedented majority in the Tennessee House of Representatives.