Senator Martins: Senate Approves Creation of Statewide Registry of Violent Offenders

“The Domestic Violence Protection Act-Brittany’s Law” Would Provide Public with Access to Information About Potentially Dangerous Felons 

     Senator Jack M. Martins (R-7th Senate District) announced that the New York State Senate passed The Domestic Violence Protection Act-Brittany’s Law to increase the safety and awareness of communities by increasing access to information about convicted violent felons. The legislation (S513), of which Senator Martins is a sponsor, would create a publicly accessible registry of all individuals convicted of a violent felony and allow local law enforcement to keep track of their location.

     “The sex offender registry is a valuable tool for law enforcement and the general public to help keep track of convicted sex offenders. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t give them those same tools to track convicted violent felons. Creating this new registry will help improve safety in our communities, and it’s long past time for the Assembly to join the Senate in approving this legislation,” said Senator Martins.

     Under the legislation, all individuals convicted of a violent felony would be required to register with the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) upon discharge, parole or release from any state or local facility, hospital or institution. The registry would be accessible to the public, similar to the existing sex offender registry. The legislation also establishes annual registration requirements for offenders to allow local law enforcement agencies and the State to monitor the whereabouts of these individuals.

     The legislation is named for 12-year-old Brittany Passalacqua who was brutally murdered along with her mother, Helen Buchel, at their home in Geneva, Ontario County in 2009. The killer, John Edward Brown, was on parole at the time of the murder. He was released early from prison after serving only 2 ½ years for assaulting his infant daughter in 2003.

     The bill has been sent to the Assembly.