A bill that was started in the Iowa House is getting closer to becoming law about how to treat convicted children kidnappers.

House District 47 State Representative Chip Baltimore says his bill originally stated that anyone who kidnaps a child that’s 15 years-old or younger is charged with a Class B Felony and is punishable up to 25 years in prison.  The second part of his bill said that if the kidnapper commits a violent or sexual offense towards a child, that the suspect wouldn’t receive time off for good behavior while in prison.

He points out that the Senate passed its version a couple of weeks ago of which, his Judiciary Committee, agreed to some of their language.  His committee agreed to raise the age limit to 17 years-old or younger and took out of the House’s bill the part about potential parental kidnapping situations.

However, the Senate refused to allow the elimination of time off for good behavior credit, which Baltimore believes is of crucial importance.

“I can’t in good conscience allow an inmate to get out early simply because he is behaving himself in a confined environment when he is a child perpetrator.”

He adds that there is bipartisan support in the House to consider passing this bill again back over to the Senate but he urges people to contact their State Senators and tell them to agree that child kidnappers shouldn’t be allow to have time off for good behavior as part of their sentencing.

The bill is still eligible to become law this session and Baltimore hopes that it will get to the governor’s desk soon to be signed into law.