SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois General Assembly today sent to Gov. Pat Quinn legislation resulting from the Casey Anthony murder trial.
By Stephanie Fryer
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois General Assembly on Thursday sent to Gov. Pat Quinn legislation resulting from the Casey Anthony murder trial.
House lawmakers on Thursday unanimously passed a measure requiring parents or guardians of any missing child 13 or younger to notify police within 24 hours. Children 2 and younger must be reported missing within one hour of their disappearance.
Anthony, the Florida mother who was found not guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, waited 31 days to inform police of the child’s disappearance.
Under the measure, failing to promptly report children missing is considered a Class 4 felony, punishable by one to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.
The legislation, Senate Bill 2537, also outlines the number of hours that parents and guardians have to report the death of a child, and it makes it a felony for people to threaten social workers and case workers.
State Rep. Jack Franks, D- Woodstock, sponsored the legislation, dubbed “Caylee’s Law.”