There is no way this ludicrous proposal will pass constitutional muster. See Is it constitutional to FORCE sex offender registrants to carry the governments message?7-9-2012 New Jersey:
A state lawmaker wants to take Megan’s Law online.
State Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset) said today that he submitted a bill that would require convicted sex offenders to identify the crimes they’ve been convicted of on their profiles on social networking websites like Facebook.
They’d also have to list their addresses, where the crimes took place, a description of their physical appearances, and a link to their entries on the official sex offender registry.
“In many ways, sex offenders can use the Internet as a venue and a means to plot and begin to carry out their crimes against vulnerable and unsuspecting victims,” Bateman said in a statement. “This legislation supplements Megan’s Law to assist law enforcement agencies in stepping up their increasingly successful efforts targeting and fighting Internet sex crimes.”
Offenders who violate the law would face up to 18 months in prison and as much as a $10,000 fine.
Bateman said the bill is based on a recently-enacted Louisiana law.
Megan’s Law was enacted in 1994 in reaction to the rape and murder of seven-year-old Megan Kanka of Hamilton by a convicted sex offender. It requires authorities notify communities when a sex offender moves nearby. Bateman said his bill would "supplement" it to apply the same principle online as well.
Facebook, the most popular social networking website, requires users to affirm that they are not sex offenders in its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. ..Source.. by Matt Friedman/Statehouse Bureau
No comments:
Post a Comment