Caylee's Law filed in Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - It was a verdict that stunned the nation. Now the Casey Anthony trial has inspired a wave of new child safety laws.

It started with a click of the mouse. When 22News reported last week on the movement to create Caylee's Law, an online petition had just over 200,000 signatures. As of Wednesday that number had quadrupled- over a million people pleading with lawmakers to make it a crime not to report a child missing. Now legislators are listening- and responding.

Lawmakers in at least 20 states are considering versions of Caylee's Law, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Massachusetts, three representatives have introduced different versions of the bill, with dozens of other lawmakers signing on as sponsors.

State Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera (D-Springfield) has filed a bill that would give parents and caretakers up to eight hours to report a missing child under the age of twelve, or face criminal penalties.

”It’s unfortunate that in today's day and age that we as a community have to protect children because the parents aren't. But that's where we are right now, and our laws are catching up obviously with behavior,” said Coakley-Rivera.

Many people mistakenly believe that there is a waiting period before you can file a missing persons report. In actuality, if a child goes missing in the state of Massachusetts you can and should file a report with the authorities immediately. Law enforcement officials stress that when a child goes missing, every second counts. Parents say it just makes common sense.

“You need to be there for your kids,” said Chicopee mother of five Jessica Hale. “You need to be protecting them at all times cause nobody else will.”

Two other bills have been filed in the Commonwealth by State Representatives Ed Coppinger (D-Suffolk) and David Linsky (D-Natick). Each of the three bills has different time limits for reporting and various proposed penalties. Coakley-Rivera said they'll likely be combined into a comprehensive bill during the next step, when the legislation moves to hearings in the Judiciary Committee.