Sex assault survivors speak for criminal sexual conduct conviction bill

Testimony is getting underway again at the Capitol on a bill to make it harder wipe away criminal sexual conduct convictions.

Critics say it's allowing perpetrators to hide from their past.

Current law allows judges to stay the adjudication of a criminal sexual conduct conviction if the perpetrator pleads guilty. Eventually, that conviction does not go on their record.

Critics say that allows perpetrators to hide their past and commitment their crimes again.

At a Capitol hearing on Tuesday, Representative Matt Grossell introduced his bill to no longer allow judges to stay a criminal sexual conduct sentence and victims agreed.

"But we're letting these criminals be invisible,” said April Kane, a sexual assault survivor. “You can live next door to them and there's no way and there's no way to know. The next time another child is abducted the police can't find them because the predators are invisible." 

Rep. Grossell's bill would also provide for lifetime conditional release and probation on all criminal sexual conduct convictions.

The bill is on deck to receive more testimony Tuesday night from the Department of Public Safety.