Senate Passes Sex Offender Legislation

Senator Thomas P. Morahan announced Senate passage today of legislation to mandate lifetime registration for the most dangerous sex offenders and prevent sex offenders from coming off the registry this week. Agreement on this bill was announced by the joint legislative conference committee on the sex offender registry created by Megan’s Law.

"The new registration law ensures that the most dangerous sex offenders never escape the Sex Offender Registry and will keep our neighborhoods better protected from the predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities -- our children," said Senator Morahan.

The legislation mandates lifetime registration for level two and level three offenders. Level two offenders will be allowed to petition for removal from the registry after a minimum of thirty years. Level one offenders will be required to register for twenty years, and will automatically drop off the registry after twenty years.

Under current law, most sex offenders are only required to register for ten years. On January 21, 2006, the 10th anniversary of the effective date of New York State’s sex offender registry, 168 sex offenders were scheduled to be dropped from the registry because they have met the 10-year mandate to keep police posted of their whereabouts. Hundreds more were scheduled to drop off the sex offender registry each month thereafter, totaling over 3,500 offenders by the end of 2006.

####