State lawmakers passed a bill last month requiring them to begin the procedure before leaving prison.
Representative Steven Hurst is passionate and has no tolerance for child molesters, which is why he sponsors Bill 379. “Maybe now we can do something that can protest those children,” he said.
The bill requires child rapists to be chemically castrated once released from prison.
Hurst said his original idea was for surgical castration, but after researching the issue, he opted for chemical castration, which involves requiring felons to take medication to inhibits their sex drive.
“All we are trying to do,” Hurst explained, “we are just trying to fix it to where some small child is not molested.”
Here is how it would work: Felons would be given the first dose of medication prior to their release. As a condition for their parole, they would have to go to the health department for follow-up doses, either through injection or orally.
Attorney Raymond Johnson said, “I don’t think it would be effective.” Johnson said the bill would be a serious constitutional challenge by any attorney that handles these types of cases. “They are going to challenge it under the 8th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. They’re going to claim that it is cruel and unusual punishment for someone who has served their time and for the rest of their life have to be castrated.”
Johnson said child molestation is a serious offense and already has serious consequences, such as time served in prison, followed by probation or parole.
Hurst said the treatment would be reversible, simply by stopping taking the medication. He leaves this question for those against the bill: “What’s more inhumane than molesting a small child?”
The bill is now on the desk of Governor Kay Ivey for her signature. Her spokesperson said the governor is still reviewing the legislation.
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