Sex offender law would limit two offenders to one address

"Unintended consequences" says the Governor. OR, is it, "failure to consider the consequences of one's act," as so many judges say when sentencing someone for committing a criminal act. What is the standard for those in office?

9-12-2010 Tennessee:

NASHVILLE — A new law barring more than two registered sex offenders from living in the same address could cause a problem for Tennessee’s homeless shelters.

Gov. Phil Bredesen was made aware of the issue Thursday as he toured a new $13 million building that will house 38 homeless men in low-rent apartments in Nashville. The governor was told that the law prohibiting more than two registered sex offenders from living in the same residence might affect housing for the homeless, The Tennessean reported.

“Did I sign that?” Bredesen asked.

“Yes, sir. It’s on my desk,” said Rachel Hester, executive director of Room in the Inn, a service center that provides treatment, classes, health care, laundry and now apartments for the homeless.

“The law is not clear about what is an address,” she said. “No one can answer that question.”

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Turner, D-Old Hickory, the law was aimed solely at residential halfway houses. Many of them are in suburban neighborhoods where children walk to school bus stops.

Turner filed the legislation after receiving many complaints about two halfway houses in his district, each with eight registered sex offenders.

Room in the Inn does not do a background check on its guests or tenants.
Bredesen called the potential problem with the homeless shelters “unintentional consequences” of the law he signed in July.

“I know Mike very well,” Bredesen said. “I might just talk to him about looking at changing that next year.”

Turner said Thursday afternoon that the law’s intention was simply targeted at residential neighborhoods, not homeless apartments or shelters.

Room in the Inn complies with the law, “as far as I’m concerned,” Turner said.
“I don’t think we need to do an adjustment,” he said. “But if we do, I will do that.” ..Source.. DNJ.com