Joins Efforts To Keep Parents Informed Of

Sex Offenders Through Registry

Senator John Ensign’s efforts to ensure the safety of our children and communities continued today (March 3, 2008) as he cosponsored legislation to close a loophole that allows sex offenders to avoid registering.

“We owe it to our children to do everything we can to keep them safe, and in Congress we’ve had considerable success, but it’s not just about providing sufficient resources to our law enforcement,” said Ensign.  “We also need to ensure that our laws are enforced correctly and in a way that keeps everyone informed and out of harm’s way.”

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) passed as part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, a bill Ensign helped become law.  Recent judicial interpretations in Michigan, Missouri and Pennsylvania have freed sex offenders arrested for failure to register due to an uncertainty whether the law applies to sex offenses committed prior to the implementation of the sex offender registry.

“When it comes to registering, it should not matter when a sexual offense occurred.  It’s that they occurred, period,” said Ensign, a father of three.  “What should matter most is how we can protect our children and help law enforcement organize their efforts based on an accurate and up-to-date registry.”

The bill Ensign cosponsored would close legal loopholes to ensure that SORNA applies to sex offenders regardless of the date of their offense.  Senator Kit Bond of Missouri introduced the legislation.

Ensign, who has been a Big Brother for ten years, has been recognized by Big Brothers, Big Sisters for his work to protect children from sexual predators.