Adjust Text Size

For Immediate Release
11/30/06
Back to Releases

Pippy Bill to Expand Sex Offender Information on Megan's Law Site Becomes Law

 Provides more information to parents to protect children from predators. 

Harrisburg –Legislation sponsored by Sen. John Pippy (R-37) that will provide additional information on sex offenders on the state Megan's Law web site was signed into law today. 

Pippy introduced the legislation in January after Pennsylvania's Megan's Law site was criticized for not providing enough data to parents and communities regarding sexual offenders living nearby.  

Under the old law, only offenders designated as a "sexually violent predator" had full street addresses listed. The vast majority of listings included only the individual's county, hometown and zip code, the senator noted. 

"Parents using the Megan's Law website to try to protect their children often couldn't find the information they were looking for.  We took a look at the law and found ways to improve it,'" said Pippy. "Once the new law is implemented, parents will be able to click on the page and see the name of the offender, the street address and municipality where he lives, the municipality where he works, whether his victim was a child, and more. That is information that parents can use and they have a right to know it." 

Under Senate Bill 1054, the addresses of all convicted sex offenders will be posted, Pippy said.  

The measure also authorizes the Pennsylvania State Police to include the following additional information about offenders on its Megan's Law website:

• Special designation when the victim is a minor
• Street address, municipality and name of prison (if incarcerated) where the registrant resides
• Municipality and name of school if enrolled as a student
• Municipality of any employer
• Description of offense
• Date of offense and date of conviction
• Physical description of the registrant
• Whether the registrant is in compliance with Megan's Law 

Closing a loophole in current law, the bill imposes criminal liability on employers or supervisors of abusers who knew of abuse, but failed to act, or who concealed the abuse. 

The bill also increases the statute of limitations by twenty years for sexual criminal offenses committed against a victim under the age of 18. Victims would have until their 50th birthday to file criminal complaints.  Previously, the law required victims to file complaints before their 30th birthday. 

Megan's Law is named after a New Jersey girl who was raped and killed by a neighbor who was a convicted sex offender.  

"Megan's Laws at the federal level and in states across the U.S. were the result of society coming to understand that these crimes require a special approach. The rate of recidivism among these offenders is so high that the only way to provide real protection is to know where they are after release from prison," said Pippy.  "Imposing these requirements isn't taken lightly, but it is absolutely necessary. And if we're going to require that offenders provide such information, it only makes sense to make sure that it's made available to the public we're trying to help protect." 

The address for the Pennsylvania Megan's Law site is www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us.  

CONTACT: Cheryl Saylor/ Matt Campion (717) 787-5839