INDIANAPOLIS — Legislation to create a public registry of child abuse perpetrators, spurred by the death of New Paris toddler Kirk Coleman,moved a step closer to passage Monday.
Senate Bill 357, authored by Sen. Carlin Yoder, a Middlebury Republican, received a 23-0 do-pass recommendation from the House Ways and Means Committee. Now it faces consideration by the full House.
If approved by House, the measure, which already has been unanimously passed by the Senate, would go to Gov. Mike Pence for his signature.
Rep. David Ober (R-Albion), a member of the Ways and Means Committee, called the measure a means “to give Kirk Coleman some justice” and to protect other Hoosier children. He’s a Republican from Albion and represents part of Elkhart County.
SB 357, dubbed “Kirk’s Law,” would create a public online registry of those convicted of child abuse, much like online sex offender registries.
Kirk died in October 2014, allegedly at the hands of his caretaker, a New Paris woman who faces a charge of felony battery on a child resulting in death. He was just 19 months old. The boy’s family members subsequently learned the woman, Jackie Rolston, had previously been convicted in connection with a 2006 incident involving another child, inspiring them to pursue the creation of a registry. Rolston is set to stand trial in June.