|
For Immediate
Release
11/29/06
CONTACT:
PA
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
Pippy
Bill to Expand Sex Offender Information
on
Megan's Law Site Becomes Law
Provides
More Information to Parents to Protect Children from Predators
HARRISBURG -- Legislation
sponsored by Sen. John Pippy (R-37) that will greatly expand information on sex
offenders listed on the state Megan's Law web site was signed into law today.
Pippy
introduced the legislation in January after Pennsylvania's Megan's Law
site was criticized for posting little information that would inform
parents and communities of sexual offenders living in their midst.
Under
the old law, only offenders designated as a "sexually violent predator"
had their addresses listed on the web site. The vast majority of
listings included only county, hometown and zip code, the senator noted.
"If
parents went on the web site looking for information that could really
help them protect their kids, they couldn't find it. We took a look at
the law and said, 'that's not right,'" said Pippy. "Once the new law is
implemented, parents will be able to click on the page and see the name
of the offender, the street address and municipality where he lives, the
municipality where he works, whether his victim was a child, and more.
That is information that parents can use and they have a right to know
it."
Under
Senate Bill 1054, the addresses of all convicted sex offenders will be
posted, Pippy said.
The
measure authorizes the Pennsylvania State Police to include the
following additional information on its Megan's Law web site:
-
Special designation when the victim is a minor
-
Street address, municipality and name of prison (if incarcerated)
where the registrant resides
-
Municipality and name of school where enrolled as a student
-
Municipality of any employer
-
Description of offense
-
Date of offense and date of conviction
-
Physical description of the registrant
-
Whether the registrant is in compliance with Megan's Law
Closing
a loophole in current law, the bill imposes criminal liability on
employers or supervisors of abusers who knew of the abuse, but failed to
act, or who concealed the abuse.
The
bill also increases the statute of limitations for sexual criminal
offenses when committed against a victim under the age of 18. Victims
of child-sex crimes would have until their 50th birthday to file
criminal complaints – up from age 30.
Megan's
Law is named after a New Jersey girl who was raped and killed by a
neighbor who was a convicted sex offender.
"Megan's Laws at the federal level and in states across the U.S. were
the result of society coming to understand that these crimes require a
special approach. The rate of recidivism among these offenders is so
high that the only way to provide real protection is to know where they
are after release from prison," said Pippy. "Imposing these
requirements isn't taken lightly, but it is absolutely necessary. And
if we're going to require that offenders provide such information, it
only makes sense to make sure that it's made available to the public
we're trying to help protect."
The address for the Pennsylvania
Megan's Law site is
www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us.
 
Legislation
sponsored by Sen. John Pippy (R-37) that will greatly expand information on sex
offenders listed on the state Megan's Law web site was signed into law on Nov.
29.
 Print this page
E-mail
this page
|
