Governor of California signs bill tightening regulations on state’s sex offenders

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday announced the signing of legislation meant to make it easier for law enforcement officials, licensing authorities, security officers and public facility officials to cross-check information used to track registered sex offenders.

Senate Bill 583 requires the state Department of Justice to record the type of residence at which sex offenders reside and make that information available for state agencies in order to better monitor and prosecute registered sex offenders and sexually violent predators.

Patrick Fiel, public safety advisor for ADT, says that Gov. Schwarzenegger should be commended for advancing legislation to better protect the public from registered sex offenders, but that the federal government needs to do more to make laws like these truly effective.

“It’s a good start, said Fiel. “But in order to make laws like these truly effective, the federal government needs to involve all 50 states and Washington, D.C. in legislation aimed at tracking and monitoring the over 650,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S.”

-- PSW Staff