NEW YORK STATE: Senator Klein Assails Deal to Weaken Megan’s Law

Senator Klein Assails Deal to Weaken Megan’s Law.

" Senate Democratic Conferee calls compromise “a defeat for all New Yorkers”

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

ALBANY, NY—In response to a Senate-Assembly compromise announced today to extend Megan’s Law without strengthening its notification provisions, State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Westchester/Bronx), a member of the Senate Codes Committee and the Senate Democrats’ conferee, issued the following statement:

“Today’s backroom deal is a defeat for all New Yorkers concerned about protecting our families from sexual predators. While I am relieved that no sex offenders will be falling off the list this year, the Senate Majority, in their zeal to take a public curtain call rather than hold the Assembly’s feet to the fire and negotiate a compromise that requires mandatory community notification for level 2 and level 3 sex offenders and the option for free email updates, have missed an opportunity to enact meaningful reforms to the state sex offender registry.

“For 10 years, Megan’s Law has been one of our most important tools in protecting the community from repeat sex offenders, but inadequate notification procedures have blunted its effectiveness. I had truly hoped the Senate and the Assembly would be able to reach a meaningful resolution of this problem, not simply one that allows the Senate and Assembly majorities to save face and move on. Never has the case been stronger for the need to dramatically reform the way business is done in Albany.”

Klein, who was an original co-sponsor of Megan’s Law in 1995, has long been a leader in the fight to keep New Yorkers safe from repeat sexual predators. Throughout his 12 years in the Legislature, he has been an advocate for enhancing the state sex offender registry, elimination of the statute of limitations on rape and a strong civil commitment law to keep the most violent sexual predators confined to mental facilities and off our streets.