In a get tough mood concerning sexual predators who prey on children, the House yesterday sent to the Senate one of the nation’s strongest sexual molestation laws.

A lengthy and exhaustive measure, House Bill 1059 addresses a variety of code sections dealing with sanctions against child molestation with the primary focus on penalties.

Chief among them are a minimum sentence of twenty five years in prison, lifetime parole which includes mandatory electronic monitoring.

Also approved was a child care tax credit proposal which the Governor has made a one of his legislative priorities.

The bill, which passed unanimously, would allow single child families to receive a progressively increasing tax credit which will reach $300 by 2008.

House Bill 1080, which now goes to the Senate, would impact over 200,000 working families across the state, who are currently taking advantage of the Federal Child Care Tax Credit.

I’m Representative ______________ reporting from the capitol.