When it comes to passing laws concerning child abuse, our state legislature needs to quit fooling around and take care of business.

While covering a speech this week by Bedford County Sheriff Captain Becky Hord, who investigates the abuse and sexual abuse of children, this writer was stunned to learn that there are over 30 pieces of legislation before the General Assembly dealing with the topic.

Not one of them have been made into law.

One made it out of the state Capitol on Thursday that would ensure that a person convicted of a sexual offense would not be eligible for work release. It unanimously passed the House and Senate and it's waiting on the Governor's signature.

That's great, but the question is: Why wasn't this law already?

In fact, after examining the list of bills still pending before the General Assembly dealing with child abuse and neglect that were provided to me by our local Exchange Club, this writer is scratching his head and wondering why some of these common sense measures haven't been addressed before.

For example, SB 2708 / HB 3264 would require criminal background checks to be completed prior to working at a day care center and the department of human services. Other bills are similar, but go further, like requiring available juvenile records, and fingerprint records checks before working with kids.

And this isn't already required? Why not?

SB 3312 / HB 2634 would create the Office of the Child Advocate to protect the kids who are victims of abuse. The duties would to be to identify and investigate claims of any organization failing to act in situations adversely affecting the welfare of children.

SB 0157 / HB 0601 jacks up the punishment for a second offense of rape of a child from a Class A felony to life imprisonment or life with the possibility of parole. The death penalty is also mentioned.

SB 0284 / HB 0912 allows the state to call forensic interviewers as witnesses before defense attorneys can challenge a child's character on the witness stand in certain criminal case involving victims under the age of 13, including rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child and aggravated child abuse.

Another bill, SB 1500 / HB 1833, would raise the age at which the abuse of a child is classified as Class D felony instead of a Class A misdemeanor from six to eight years of age and at which the neglect of a child is classified as a Class E felony instead of a Class A misdemeanor.

It would also create a Class E felony for any mother who knowingly takes drugs while pregnant and the child tests positive at the time of birth. It would be a Class D Felony if the baby dies as a result of the mother doing the drugs.

However, Senate Judiciary amendment 1 deleted the felony offense of taking drugs while pregnant.

SB 2580 / HB 2465 would require a person convicted of child abuse or aggravated child abuse to serve 100 percent of their sentence undiminished by any sentence reduction credits. But the Oversight Corrections Committee says the bill "will significantly increase the demand for prison beds and is likely to increase the number of geriatric inmates in the prison system."

Fine. Buy more beds and stock up on dentures and Metamucil.

Here's a good one: SB 2595 / HB 3171 prohibits a district attorney general from entering into plea agreements in criminal cases where the defendant is a teacher and the victim is a student. The DA would have to submit the agreement to the Attorney General and reporter for review and if it is in the best interest of the state and victim to enter into the agreement.

Hopefully, it will cut down on the amount of provocative cell phone videos that are passed around featuring educators.

SB 2717 / HB 2609 would keep certain sex offenders off the Internet, particularly places like MySpace and FaceBook, where a sicko could find fresh meat. SB 2756 / HB 2920 adds aggravated rape of a child to the list of violent sexual offenses for the purpose of the sexual offender registry.

Two bills would increase the age of a child for purposes of certain sexual offenses committed against children from age 13 to 16. One bill requires that bail for a person charged with a sexual offense against a minor be at least $30,000. Yet another would allow no plea bargaining in child rape cases.

So, what is the hold up on these bills? Do child abusers and pedophiles have their own high dollar lobbyists that are keeping these measures from becoming law?

And let's not hear any lame excuses about the funding not being there for some of these measures. I know times are tough, but if there is enough money to build an underground bunker for the Governor to party down in, surely there is enough cash on hand to protect the kids.

Legislators - get to work and get these bills passed. Things like this are what the taxpayers put you into office for in the first place.