November 24, 2003

ROMNEY SIGNS SEX OFFENDER CHANGES INTO LAW

Sexual offenders to go on Internet, register prior to prison release

Saying he is committed to keeping families and their children safe, Governor Mitt Romney today announced that he will sign a section of the supplemental spending bill to publish the state’s most dangerous sex offenders photos and addresses on the Internet.

Romney said he will also sign the section requiring offenders to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) 48 hours prior to their release from prison. If the offender does not comply, he or she will not be released from prison. This provision will take effect immediately after the Governor signs the supplemental budget.

The Governor said he has made no other decisions regarding the supplemental budget, but that he will definitely sign the changes to the sex offender registry laws.

“Public safety is the single most important job of government,” said Romney. “Once the photos of sex offenders are on the Internet individuals will have vital information necessary to protect their families at their finger tips. Families have the right to know if sexual predators are living or working in their neighborhoods.”

Approximately 3,000 incarcerated sex offenders will be affected by the provision requiring sex offenders to register 48 hours prior to their release from jail.

“The old law allowed sex offenders to leave jail and not register with the SORB for two days, giving them a huge head start in avoiding their responsibility to register,” said Public Safety Secretary Edward Flynn. “Now when offenders are released, the board and local police will know where the offenders are living and will be able to take necessary precautions.”

Before photos of the state’s worst sex offenders can be posted on the Internet, the court injunction currently prohibiting Internet dissemination must be lifted. Romney vowed to work hard to get the injunction dissolved as soon as possible.

“The sex offender registry is an important operational tool for police departments,” said Edward Davis, Lowell Police Chief. “Last week at the school, we had an incident where we were able to identify the suspect as a sex offender. Without the SORB’s assistance we would not have known with whom we were dealing with. The better tools law enforcement has, the safer our neighborhoods will get.”

Romney noted that 35 other states and several of the Commonwealth’s local police departments already post sex offenders images on their Web sites. There are currently 654 classified Level 3 sex offenders in the Sex Offender Registry’s database that are ready to be posted on the Internet. Only detailed information on Level 3 high-risk sex offenders will be put on the Web. The public will be able to view offender’s photo, name, home and work address, the charges the sex offender has been convicted of and a physical description.

“On behalf of families and children across the Commonwealth, I would like to thank Governor Romney and Lieutenant Governor Healey for their tireless work on this issue,” said Senator Brian Lees. “The public has the right to know about dangerous sexual predators that reside in their communities and we must make the dissemination of this information a top priority.”

“Sex offender legislation is a top priority to the Criminal Justice Committee and me,” said Representative James Vallee. “Posting convicted sex offenders is a good first step to ensuring that the public is protected from dangerous sexual predators. I look forward to working with the Governor and Lieutenant. Governor to further improve the Sex Offender Registry Board.”

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