Montana sex offender registry sees changes

4-19-2013 Montana:

A new bill has been signed into law in Montana allowing prosecutors to file a petition in district court designating sex offenders.

Montana currently has over 2,200 registered sex offenders, and about 1,400 of those aren't designated in a tier level because their convictions came before the registry law.

However, under House Bill 335, which Governor Steve Bullock signed last Friday, district court judges can now go back in and give them a rating.

"Level one is a lower risk, level two is a moderate risk, and level three is a more sexually, a predator. And we look at psycho-sexual evaluations that are prepared by mental health professionals who have experience in that area, and then we look also at other factors that are presented to us at sentencing. And the judge makes the determination of what that level designation will be." said District Court Judge Kathy Seeley of Helena.

The idea behind the law is to know where the most violent sex offenders are living. The new law is designed to give prosecutors and law enforcement the tools they need to keep our communities safe. ..Source.. by Marnee Banks - MTN News