Leaders met to push Jenna Quinn Law through

SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, Texas leaders met in Smith County to push the Jenna Quinn Law through the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers met at the Smith County Advocacy Center in Tyler to discuss Jenna’s Law, a bill aimed at preventing sexual abuse of children on a national level. If passed, the bill will center around giving teachers, educators and care givers adequate training and identify, prevent and report child sexual abuse. The bill received its name from Jenna Quinn, a child sexual abuse survivor, and is now an outspoken advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse.

Quinn is spearheading the bill with Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Rep. Nathaniel Moran to empower young victims. The bill will give almost $170 million of funding from the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The law has passed in 35 states so far and Quinn said it proves that the legislation works. Moran said more than 42 million children are abused in the nation and believes that statistic will bring both sides of the aisle together to help give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.

“Not everybody knows how to identify children who are being sexually abused and that’s why some of the money Congress appropriates for child abuse prevention is available for training,” Senator John Cornyn said.

“Its a real epidemic it’s something we need to address and address quickly sternly and address it until it gets solved,” said Moran.

“After Jenna’s law training, educators are four times more likely to report before their pre-training careers,” Quinn said.

Moran expects bipartisan support for Jenna’s law.

“I suspect we will see large bipartisan support at the committee level before it gets to the floor. I think this is an issue where all Democrats and Republicans can come together and agree we must protect children,” Moran said.

Quinn said that children see their teachers the most and its important that they are a safe person that they can confide in.

“It’s really important for school employees and educators because we know educators make up 52% of the reports that go into the system,” Quinn said. “Educators are reporting more than any group out there and so they are the ones that are around the children and youth hours at a time everyday so they are the ones that can really pick up on those key indicators.”

The bill will first be presented to the Education Workforce Committee before going to the House floor.