House to debate fee to support electronic sex offender registry

2-5-2013 Idaho:

BOISE -- A House committee has agreed to introduce a bill that would double the fees charged to sex offenders to help pay for a statewide electronic registry.

The bill pushed by the Idaho Sheriff's Association was introduced Tuesday in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.

Some of Idaho's biggest counties -- including Ada, Canyon and Kootenai -- are already plugged into an electronic network tracking addresses and movement of sex offenders on probation or parole. But many smaller counties still track and exchange sex offender movement on paper.

Sheriff's Association lobbyist Michael Kane says doubling the $40 annual fee offenders now pay would raise about $150,000.

The money would be enough to bring all Idaho counties online and link Idaho's network into a similar database shared by 35 other states. ..Source.. by KTVB.COM