Melrose legislators lead charge to reform sex offender laws

5-16-2013 Massachusetts:

State lawmakers from both political parties are lining up behind bills to allow limited public access to information on Level 1 sex offenders and give the state Sex Offender Registry Board new power to update risk levels assigned to such convicts.

The proposed changes are driven by the case of John Burbine, a Wakefield man and Level 1 sex offender who was charged late last year with sexually abusing more than a dozen children at his wife’s unlicensed day care business.

Legislators said the case highlighted loopholes in the state’s Sex Offender Registry.

A reform bill introduced by Sen. Katherine Clark and Rep. Paul Brodeur, both Melrose Democrats, has garnered support from 27 bipartisan cosponsors.

Leaders of the House and Senate have both said that updating the state’s Sex Offender Registry is a top priority this legislative session, according to Clark, who is the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.

“I am very hopeful we’re going to be able to move significant legislation forward quickly,” she said.

There is a slew of other bills aimed at accomplishing the same or similar changes. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, is lead sponsor of another reform proposal with backing from 26 lawmakers from both parties, including Clark. He also is sponsoring six other bills on behalf of Protect Mass. Children, a group that wants stronger sexual predator ...continued... by David Riley