The murder acquittal of Caylee Anthony’s mom Casey has led to not just one new bill in the California legislature but two. As Ben Adler explains from Sacramento, they share the same basic goal: to get parents to report missing or dead children immediately.
Two Assembly members are touting bills called “Caylee’s Law” after the two-year-old Florida girl whose disappearance wasn’t reported for a month. One measure comes from Republican Paul Cook.
“Purpose of the bill is, at least as a father and a grandfather, is to correct what I consider a glaring error in the law," Cook said.
Cook’s measure would require parents or guardians to report a missing child under 12 years old within 48 hours, and a death within two hours, and make any violation a felony. Democrat Holly Mitchell’s bill makes the age limit 14 and the time limit 24 hours. Not reporting a death would be a felony. Not reporting a missing child would be a misdemeanor.
Lawmakers have just started their summer recess so neither can move forward until the legislature reconvenes next month.
