SPRINGFIELD, Ill. The Illinois House onSaturday passed a measure to expand the reach of the state'ssex-offender registry " a common move in Springfield, but one thatis starting to raise concerns, even among politicians, that thelist may be reaching too far.
"We're making it impossible for them to live anywhere, we'remaking it impossible for them to work anywhere, we're making itimpossible for them to go anywhere," said Rep. Elaine Nekritz,D-Des Plaines, in one of a series of questioning floor speechesthat would have been unthinkable a few years ago. "We need to takea step back."
The bill passed 91-21, a notable contrast to the near-unanimousvotes that have been more typical of the topic in pastsessions.
The sex-offender registry is an online portal where convictedsex offenders have to register when they're out of prison, allowingthe public to see who they are and where they live. In addition toproviding that information, sex offenders are subject to numerousrestrictions regarding where they can live, work and evenstand.
The latest bill would add conspiracy, "luring," unauthorizedvideotaping and other offenses to the range of crimes that can landa person on the registry. It would also expand the minimum time onthe list for misdemeanor offenders from 10 to 15 years.
Bills to expand the reach and restrictions of the registry arepractically an annual requirement in Illinois for any lawmaker whowants to look tough on crime. "If it was your son or your daughterwalking to school, you'd want to know who was trying to lure them,"said Dennis Reboletti, R-Addison, speaking in favor of Saturday'sbill.
But even some of Reboletti's fellow conservatives " who ended upvoting in favor of the bill " raised concerns about the repeatedexpansion of the registry.
"You're making this more and more onerous for people to comply"with the rules when they're on the registry, warned Rep. BobPritchard, R-Sycamore, a conservative stalwart.
Another, Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, R-Park Ridge, acknowledged that"most of us will vote for it because it looks bad if you don't,"but she expressed concern about the annual proliferation of"layers" of new laws regarding the list.
The measure now returns to the Senate.
The bill is SB1040.
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