Senator Gary Dahms of Redwood Falls is expected to introduce a companion bill in the Senate to Jacob’s Law.
 
We have been following the bill that was introduced to the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee last week. The Minnesota House committee moved the bill ahead with Sarah Guggisberg’s testimony.
 
Guggisberg of Clara City is a mother of a child that was sexually abused. She was the custodial parent in 2005 when the abuse to her son-Jacob, occurred in Lyon County. Lyon County authorities had told her ex-husband only. She was not aware of the abuse until nearly 4 years later. Meanwhile her son-who was 5 at the time of the abuse by a juvenile offender, was suffering from serious depression and even attempted suicide.
 
The legislation in the House is authored by Rep. Bruce Vogel, R-Willmar. It requires law enforcement agencies to notify a local human service agency if a child is the alleged victim of neglect, physical or sexual abuse. The human service office is obligated to inform both parents.
 
The legislation also makes notification by one spouse to the other a requirement of custody agreements in divorces.
 
It is expected that the next stop of the bill will be the Judiciary Committee in the House next week.