A2 Daily Local News, Tuesday, October 30, 2007 STATE & NATION | |
LEGISLATIVE NOTES | |
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State Rep. Barb McIlvaine Smith, D-156th, of West Chester, is co-sponsoring legislation designed to toughen Pennsylvania's Megan's Law.
Introduced by state Rep. Rick Taylor, D-Montgomery, the legislation would make adults convicted of soliciting a child through the Internet subject to the restrictions of Megan's Law, including registering their address with local authorities. "While for the most part the Internet is a fascinating place for children, child predators often go trolling for victims in cyberspace," McIlvaine Smith said. "This legislation would give prosecutors the tools they need to keep cyberpredators in check, helping to make not only our communities, but the World Wide Web safer for children." In addition, the legislation proposes to: Prohibit a person who commits a sexual offense against a victim who is under 13 from living within 2,500 feet of any public, private or parochial K-6 |
school, or any licensed day-care center, public park or public swimming pool. Currently, Pennsylvania has no proximity requirement for registered sex offenders.
Require a person convicted of a sexual offense against a minor to wear a 24-hour-a-day electronic monitor when on probation or supervised release. Allow the district attorney of the county where a released child sexual offender plans to live to testify at the offender's parole board hearing.
Empower state police to run twice-annual random verification of the addresses of sexually violent predators and confirm their compliance with counseling requirements. The random checks would supplement quarterly scheduled appointments.
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Paid for by Smith 156 Committee, Jamie P. McVickar — Treasurer