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TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher which will increase penalties for failure to register as a sex offender within a municipality under the State’s Megan’s Law was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.

“New Jersey’s Megan’s Law, when enacted, was the model for community notification laws, but without proper safeguards, holes develop in the safety net,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “The previous penalties were far too lax for failure to register, and as a result, offenders could slip under the radar, lurking unknown in communities. If we’re going to make the sex offender registry effective, we need strong penalties to ensure full compliance with those the registry is intended to police.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher which would increase penalties for failure to register as a sex offender within a municipality under the State’s Megan’s Law was approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee today by a vote of 6-0.

“When Megan’s Law was first enacted into law, it was the premiere community notification law, giving parents the tools they need to keep their kids safe,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “However, over the years, the effectiveness of the Megan’s Law safety net has eroded, as sexual offenders found ways to avoid registration and continue preying on children. We need to put teeth back in the registration penalties, so sexual offenders cannot elude the proper authorities to continue hurting kids.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher which would increase penalties for failure to register as a sex offender within a municipality under the State’s Megan’s Law was approved by the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee by a vote of 4-0.

“Megan’s Law revolutionized notification for parents of the danger lurking next door in terms of a sex offender moving into the neighborhood,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “However, notification only works if the offender complies with the municipal registration requirement under the law. By strengthening the penalties for failure to register, we are providing a real disincentive for sex offenders to hide their identities and shirk the built-in safety regulations under Megan’s Law.”