Alabama governor signs bill requiring chemical castration for some convicted child molesters

Update 10:06 a.m. EDT June 11: The governor of Alabama has signed the bill that will require some convicted child sex offenders to become chemically castrated before they can be released from prison, The Associated Press reported.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill Monday and it goes into effect later this year.

Those who will be required to have injections that blocks testosterone productions would have been convicted of certain crimes against children under the age of 3, according to the AP.

A judge could decide to end the injections.

Original report: A bill that would chemically castrate people convicted of certain sexual offenses against children is being considered in Alabama.

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HB 379 was passed by the Alabama House and Senate, and is now awaiting approval from Gov. Kay Ivey, WIAT-TV reported.

The bill would affect those convicted of sex crimes against children age 13 and younger, according to Scripps Media, requiring them to be chemically castrated when leaving prison. Chemical castration happens when a person is given an injection or pills to significantly reduce libido.

The bill was introduced by State Rep. Steve Hurst, R-Calhoun County. He’s tried to introduce similar bills in previous legislative sessions.

"I had people call me in the past when I introduced it and said, ‘don't you think this is inhumane?’” Hurst said. “I asked them, what's more inhumane than when you take a little infant child, and you sexually molest that infant child … and they have to go through all the things they have to go through? If you want to talk about inhumane -- that's inhumane."

Attorney Raymond Johnson told WIAT-TV that should the bill become a law, it will likely be challenged.

"They're going to challenge it under the 8th Amendment Constitution. There 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," he said.

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