State Representative Jim Howell (R - St. Charles) Succeeds in Driving House
Approval of Bill; Michigan Becomes the Fifth Key State to Support This Vital
Movement
DALLAS, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Making significant headway in garnering
support for its national legislation campaign that seeks to protect online
daters from interacting with criminals, today TRUE(TM) announced the Michigan
legislature has become the fifth state to commit to its monumental legislative
cause. Already, in a show of overwhelming support, the Michigan House of
Representatives approved the bill with a bipartisan vote of 75 to 14,
spearheaded by Michigan Representative Jim Howell (R - St. Charles). The bill
is now headed to the Senate for approval.
With this affirmative vote, Michigan becomes the first state to pass the
bill in its House and the fifth state overall to embrace TRUE's proposed
safety legislation. Michigan House Representative Jim Howell and Michigan
House Speaker Rick Johnson (R - LeRoy) champion TRUE's campaign, joining an
esteemed list of legislators throughout the country, including Senator John
Carona and Representative Will Hartnett of Texas, Representatives William J.
Seitz and Scott Oelslager of Ohio, Delegate David Albo of Virginia, and
Representative Kevin C. Ambler of Florida.
"The number of individuals engaging in online dating is growing by leaps
and bounds each year. Therefore it's crucial that safety measures for
Internet dating are put in place sooner than later," commented Michigan House
Speaker Rick Johnson. "Our House's show of support is certainly encouraging
and I hope that additional legislators throughout the country will make an
effort to put the personal safety of their citizens at the top of their
agendas as well."
TRUE's proposed safety legislation requires that all online dating
providers prominently disclose on their websites whether they perform criminal
background checks on their members. Currently, TRUE is the only online
relationship service that actively promotes the safety of its users by
performing extensive criminal screening on all of its communicating members.
Further affirming the need for TRUE's safety campaign, a recent survey
conducted by Russell Research found that in Michigan, for example, seven out
of ten registered voters (72 percent) would support state legislation that
would make it a requirement for online dating sites to pre-screen its members
against criminal databases. Of these, 78 percent of female and 65 percent of
male registered voters would support the legislation at the state level.
"As the head of an online dating business, it is my company's obligation
to provide our members with the most extensive, accurate and trustworthy
information available regarding potential suitors so they can make successful
and, most importantly, safer relationship decisions," said Herb Vest, founder
and CEO of TRUE. "Although criminal background screening is not entirely
foolproof, we owe it to our members to provide a truly wholesome environment
for online courtship -- an environment that increases online daters' potential
for finding a compatible life partner. The legislation we have proposed
regarding criminal background checks enables just this. We're thrilled with
the success of our campaign efforts to date and expect a flurry of additional
support going forward as we continue to drive this important cause."
"The divorce rate is reaching epidemic proportions in our country. The
antidote to this nationwide problem is compatibility. From criminal
background screenings to compatibility test results, TRUE is dedicated to
increasing our members' chances of finding that right someone by providing the
right information," continued Vest. "It's our hope that legislators across
the country will take the rising divorce rate seriously, and help us in our
efforts to create safer and successful online dating environments."
Learn more about TRUE's efforts to make Internet dating safer at
http://www.saferdating.true.com .
About TRUE
TRUE is a safer, savvy, and the only scientifically-based, online
relationship service whose mission is to help singles find long lasting and
fulfilling relationships. Founded on an advanced, scientific compatibility
test uniquely endorsed by Psychology Today and independently certified by one
of the leading experts in tests and measurements -- Integrated Knowledge
Systems, Inc. -- to meet the Standards for Educational and Psychological
Testing, TRUE is the only online relationship service that actively seeks to
further protect the safety of its communicating members by conducting
extensive criminal background screenings. Moreover, TRUE is the only site to
conduct single verification screening. With the help of proprietary research
and the industry's most extensive team of scientists, relationship experts and
psychologists, TRUE also guides its members step-by-step through all stages of
the relationship-building process.
To find out more about how TRUE helps people around the world Live, Love
and Learn(TM), please visit http://www.true.com .
SOURCE TRUE
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Related links:
http://www.true.com
http://www.saferdating.true.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/919610.html
CONTACT:
Olivia Horoshko of Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide, +1-310-248-6183, or Olivia.Horoshko@ogilvypr.com , for
TRUE; or Taylor L. Cole, APR, of TRUE, +1-972-402-4813, or
Taylor.Cole@true.com
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