lamarsmith.house.gov

Lamar Smith
Contact: Beth Frigola (202) 225-4236


Bill to Protect Children Approved by House

Washington, Mar 8 -

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved the, “Children’s Safety and Violent Crimes Reduction Act of 2006,” (H.R. 4472) cosponsored by Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21). The legislation aims to protect children from sexual predators by strengthening criminal penalties and notification laws.

“This legislation empowers parents and educators to better protect their children,” said Congressman Smith. “When parents and communities are armed with information, they can reduce the likelihood that their children will fall victim to sex offenders.”

Today more than 500,000 convicted sex offenders live in the United States, and approximately 150,000 are missing. Once released, sex offenders are four times more likely to be rearrested for a sex crime. The bill includes a number of provisions designed to protect children, including:


Improving the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Program to ensure that sex offenders register and keep current, where they reside, work and attend school;

Improving verification systems for sex offender information by requiring quarterly-verification, sex offender in-person verification, and regular notarized verification mailings;

Requiring public access to state websites that list sex offenders;

Creating the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website to search for sex offender information in each community;

Expanding the definition of sex offenders to include juvenile sex offenders;

Requiring states to notify each other when a sex offender moves from one state to another;

Expanding sex offenses covered by registration and notification requirements to include military, tribal and foreign sex crimes, and increases duration of registration requirements to protect the public;

Expanding community notification requirements to include active efforts to inform law enforcement agencies, schools, public housing, social service agencies and volunteer organizations in area where sex offender resides, works or attends school; and

Creating a new maximum penalty of 20 years incarceration for a sex offender who fails to comply with registration requirements, and increasing criminal penalties against child sexual predators.

The legislation passed by voice vote and now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.