PA Senate Finally Moves on Megan's Law Loopholes

The Pennsylvania Senate voted of 49-0, this week to move a bill intended to close a loophole in Megan's Law, according to The Associated Press.  The bill was sponsored by embattled State Senator Jane Orie. It now goes to the House.

The legislation would close loopholes in the state Megan's Law, which requires sex offenders to register with state police and provide up-to-date information about where they live and work. It also would make the state law conform with federal law.

The bill would require state police to include more information about offenders on their Megan's Law website, expand the list of offenses subject to the law and extend the registration requirement to the most serious juvenile offenders, reported The Associated Press.

Legislators are denying that the Penn State scandal and cover-up has been the impetus to to get something done with the Megan's Law loopholes.  It has been more than a year since Governor Ed Rendell vetoed the Megan's Law amendments which were attached to the Castle Doctrine Law.

Senate leader Joe Scarnati said the Penn State scandal and cover-up case brought more attention, but this is a bill that already had enough eyes on it and steam behind it. “Anytime something like that occurs, it shines a light back on the focus on bills and it gives a little more of a push,” Scarnati told CBS 21 in Harrisburg. “But this is already something that had been in the pipeline for some time.”

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