Amber Dubois' Father Wants Special IDs for Sex Offenders, Says Report
LONG BEACH, Calif. (CBS/KCAL) Amber Dubois' life was cut tragically short by a convicted sex offender who managed to fly under the radar for years, and Amber's father wants to make sure that never happens again.
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Moe Dubois plans to announce a legislative package he has drafted with California Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) meant to assist law enforcement in better identifying and tracking sex offenders.
"We believe that the time is now to implement thoughtful legislation that will make a real difference in the lives of missing children," Dubois told CBS affiliate KCAL. "We want to use our loss to bring about real change so that no family has to go through what we did."
The proposed legislation calls for registered sex offenders to be issued distinctive driver's licenses or state-issued IDs that bear a mark that immediately identifies that person as a sex offender, according to local San Diego station KNDS.
Moe Dubois acknowledged that many critics would say the distinctive IDs would amount to a scarlet letter, potentially violating the civil rights of sex offenders. But the legislation wouldn't be the first of its kind. According to the station, both Delaware and Louisiana issue special identification to sex offenders, Louisiana's is branded with a bold "SEX OFFENDER" and Delaware's features a "Y" designation.
The expected cost could be another stumbling block, but Moe Dubois says he is prepared to fight to push the legislation through.
Dubois was missing for 13 months before her remains were found in a remote area of the Pala Indian Reservation in March 2010.
Earlier this month, convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after he pleaded guilty to killing Amber and 17-year-old Chelsea King.
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March 9, 2010 - Amber Dubois Update: Police Investigating Link to Sex Offender John Gardner
March 8, 2010 - Is Amber Dubois' Murder Related to Chelsea King's Murder?