SC looks to prevent other states from sending sex offenders here for treatment

4-28-2011 South Carolina:

SC - Rep. Limehouse, Murphy and Horne are working on a new bill they hope to introduce as potential legislation shortly. Among other things, it would prevent other states from sending sex offenders to South Carolina for treatment.

The bill is being considered after 4 teenagers escaped from the Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health facility. Three of those teenagers have been found. Law Enforcement is still searching for the fourth. He is believed to be a 19 year old.

News 2 talked to several neighbors who live in Oakbrook Commons, a neighborhood just down the road from Palmetto Health facility. Some neighbors said they didn't have any idea that teenagers with violent pasts were treated at the location. They said they want to have better notification, and they support legislation that would prevent sex offenders from other states from being treated in South Carolina.

We spoke with Rep. Chris Murphy. He said he is in Columbia along with Rep. Limehouse and Rep. Horne working on the potential legislation. Rep. Murphy says they met with officials from Palmetto Behavioral Health this morning to discuss concerns and what can be done to make their facilities more secure.

Murphy says a 1st draft of the legislation has been written, and they are editing it before preparing an actual bill to be submitted to the Legislature. Rep. Murphy expects to have a bill submitted either later this afternoon or in the morning.

Murphy says they are also looking at how DHEC may be able to have a role in helping solve the problem. ..Source.. by Raymond Owens