Virginia Bill Seeks to Require Sex Offenders to Provide Online Information

The Virginia House of Representatives, looking to join at least the twenty other states with similar provisions, unanimously passed a bill requiring sex offenders to register their online identifiers with the authorities. From the Chatham Star Tribune:

A bill sponsored by Del. Charles Poindexter, R-9, that would require more information to be posted on the internet sex offender registry passed through the House and will move on to the Senate.

The internet sex offender registry lists the names, ages, addresses, pictures and offense descriptions and dates of convicted sex offenders. Poindexter's bill would allow the State Police to add information about sex offenders who are wanted, either for not registering with the registry or for any other crime. The bill allows for the State Police to add any information they judge "necessary to preserve public safety."

The State Police control the registry and update the information. The bill specifies that the registry would be updated daily.

Sen. Robert Hurt, R-19, is listed as a co-patron of this bill. He has not yet heard the bill in committee and will reserve his final judgment until then. He supports the idea of the bill because the purpose of the sex offender registry is to provide information to the community, he said.

"The changes include information parents want to know," he said. "This is information that could protect our most vulnerable citizens, who are our children."

The sex offender registry should include as much information as possible to make Virginia a safer place, he said.

The bill passed the House last week in a 99-0 vote. It will be heard by a Senate committee in the coming weeks.