BILL WOULD PLUG LOOPHOLE IN SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY

Suffolk Life/George Wallace

For the second time in recent years, a New York State Assembly bill that would plug a loopholeallowing sexual predators with mental disorders to be released into a community without signingonto the sex offender registry has been approved. However, there is little chance that the billwill become state law without a legislator to sponsor a companion bill in the NYS Senate. I'mlooking to find a Senate sponsor, said Assemblywoman Pat Eddington (WF-Medford) after the bill waspassed unanimously by the Assembly. It's an important law. A person who commits a sexual offense,even if they are mentally deficient, needs to register. Parents need to know that people are outthere. I hope a Long Island senator will support this. Megan's Law is a corrections law, saidLaura Ahearn, executive director of Parents for Megan's Law. We were concerned about that and wentto Assemblywoman Eddington with it. Eddington and Ahearn are both hoping that a senator will stepup to the plate. A one-house bill isn't going to do us any good, said Ahearn. There has to be aRepublican in the Senate who will take the bill on.

(New York)