Child enticement penalties advance

Senators advanced a bill April 18 that would change provisions of the state’s criminal child enticement law.

LB665, introduced by Sen. Pete Pirsch of Omaha, would prohibit attempts to solicit, coax, entice or lure a child under the age of 14 to enter a place intending to seclude him or her from a parent, guardian, legal custodian or the general public, whether or not the person knows the age of the child.

Current law prohibits only the luring of a child into a vehicle.

Violations would be a Class IIIA felony. If the perpretrator has been convicted of criminal child enticement, assault or sexual assault of a child, kidnapping or false imprisonment of a victim younger than 18, he or she could be guilty of a Class III felony.

“There are real dangers that exist for children in our state,” Pirsch said. “LB665 is a bill that is intended to better protect children.”

The bill was advanced from general file on a 39-0 vote.