Law groups back child sex abuse amendment

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri law enforcement groups are promoting a proposed constitutional amendment that they say could make it easier to convict child sex offenders.

Members of the state prosecutors and sheriffs associations held a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol to tout proposed Constitutional Amendment 2 on the November ballot.

The measure would allow evidence of past criminal actions to be used in the prosecution of child sex abuse cases, even if those past allegations did not result in convictions. The law enforcement groups say the change would put Missouri on par with rules used by the federal government and many other states.

The proposal was referred to the ballot by the state Legislature.