DETROIT NEWS -- Mar 28 -- Sandie Cornillie did a double take when
she first heard about a Michigan bill that would force online dating
sites to say whether criminal background checks have been conducted on
their members. "It's a very safe way of getting to know someone
before we meet face to face," said Cornillie, who has tried online
dating for five years. "I haven't met any rapists or any crazy people.
It's kind of up to you to be careful." Republican Sen. Alan
Cropsey of DeWitt is sponsoring the bill. "There are inherent
dangers in the whole area of the Internet," he said. "Something needs
to be done." The legislation is backed by True.com,
the only online dating service that performs criminal screening.
Similar legislation has been proposed in California, Ohio, Virginia,
Florida and Texas. Herb Vest, founder of the site, said the Michigan
legislation would save lives, property and heartache. "As an industry,
we owe it to our members to inform them of the potential hazards," he
said. In a debate on the floor last week, Democratic Sen. Mark
Schauer said some lawmakers are wavering because users still could hide
their shady pasts by using fictitious names. "That's a fundamental flaw
with this bill," he said.