A new law – and a new way to keep track of those who have abused children
“Kirk’s Law” takes effect on July 1, 2016. It sets up a Child Abuse Offender Registry that tracks anyone who has ever been convicted in Indiana of child neglect – or physical or sexual abuse of a child. The law is named after 19-month-old Kirk Coleman who died Oct. 2014 at an Elkhart daycare. Jackie Rolston of New Paris, Indiana was the daycare provider who has been charged with causing the baby’s death. Court records show Rolston was previously convicted of child neglect.
Indiana is first state in the country to create a Child Abuse Offender Registry, which will be maintained by the Division of State Court Administration. The legislation requires that the registry be up and running no later than July 1, 2017.
For someone’s name to be added to the registry, they would have to be convicted in Indiana of at least one of the following types of crimes: Neglect of a Dependent, Child Selling, Battery Against a Child, as well as any sexual offense committed against a child.
The Indiana Senate and House both voted unanimously during the recent legislative session to pass the bill. Governor Mike Pence held a signing ceremony for the bill in Middlebury, Indiana on Wednesday.