Capitol Alert: Legislators to introduce 'Caylee's Law' in wake of murder case

California legislators are seeking to increase the penalty for parents who fail to report their children missing in the wake of the controversial verdict handed down in the death of a young Florida girl.

Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, announced today that he is introducing legislation to make it a felony for a parent, guardian or caregiver to fail to report that a child under 12 years old is missing within 48 hours of the disappearance. The bill, called "Caylee's Law," was sparked by the Florida case of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony.

The girl's mother, Casey Anthony, failed to report her daughter missing for one month after her disappearance and lied repeatedly about the child's whereabouts during that period. She was acquitted of murder last week after a high-profile trial, but convicted of four lesser charges of falsifying police reports. Those charges carry a maximum sentence of one year in prison each.

Cook said in a statement that the bill is intended to close a lapse in California law similar to one in Florida that does not make it a crime for parents to fail to report missing or dead children.

"Our laws shouldn't allow bad actors like Casey Anthony to wait over a month to report a missing child. This bill will go after people like her but won't incriminate well-meaning or distraught parents," Cook said in a statement.

Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton; Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore; Assemblyman David Valadao, R-Hanford; and Sen. Tom Berryhill, R-Oakdale, have signed on as co-authors.

Legislatures in at least seven other states, including Florida, are reportedly planning to consider similar legislation in response to the case.

PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Anthony, with her attorney, Jose Baez, approaches the podium to hear Judge Belvin Perry confirm that she was found not guilty of murder charges, at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, July 5, 2011. (AP Photo/ Red Huber)