Source: oleantimesherald.com 4/3/25 BRADFORD, Pa. — A Georgia man is in McKean County Jail, charged for allegedly impersonating a cop to scam a registered sex offender out of $1,000. Rashawn Scott, 33, of Claxton, Ga., is charged with identity theft, a third-degree felony; theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, theft by extortion and receiving stolen property, all first-degree misdemeanors; impersonating a public servant, a second-degree misdemeanor; and furnishing false information, a third-degree misdemeanor. According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 23, 2022, a Bradford man registered on the state…
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KS: Kansas lawmakers push for HB 2164 law restricting sex offenders from schools
Source: kshb.com 3/25/25 LIBERTY, Mo. — Schools in Kansas and Missouri differ in more ways than just the state line dividing them. Kansas has never had a state law restricting certain sex offenders from being on school property. In addition, Kansas doesn’t have residency restrictions. Lawmakers in Kansas want that to change. Senate Sub for HB 2164 passed the Kansas Senate by a vote of 37-3 on Thursday. The bill was proposed by Kansas Sen. Kellie Warren after parents in the Blue Valley School District made complaints about a registered sex…
Read MoreFL: The village of sex offenders
Source: bbc.com 3/12/25 Set among endless sugar-cane fields in a remote part of southern Florida, Restoration Destination is a community made up of registered sex offenders. Created by a Christian ministry as a response to state laws which ban them from living close to where children gather, it is now home to more than 100 men who have been placed on Florida’s sex offenders register for life. Through therapy, counselling and support, Restoration Destination aims to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and help them reintegrate into society. Journalist Conor Garrett…
Read MoreTX: ‘Audrii’s Law’ aims to close loophole in sex offender registry
Source: msn.com 3/25/25 In Austin on Tuesday, the family of Audrii Cunningham strongly urged Texas lawmakers to support a bill that would strengthen sex offender registration laws. … Through tears, Munsch pleaded with lawmakers to support Audrii’s Law. The law would add child grooming to the list of crimes that require registration as a sex offender, closing a so-called “loophole” that allows some offenders to avoid the registry altogether. Read the full article
Read MoreND: Senate passes bill studying length of time on sex offender registry
Source: kfyrtv.com 3/28/25 BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – People who are considered “low-risk” sex offenders are required to be registered for at least 15 years. A House bill looks to see if that’s too long. Originally, House Bill 1231 called for the minimum to be at seven years before you could petition for removal. Senators amended the bill to make it a study to figure out if any lowering is appropriate. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee say there was too much debate to be confident in enacting immediate change. “We…
Read MoreNJ: New Jersey sees 74% increase in child pornography arrests since 2020
Source: whyy.org 3/17/25 The state’s top law enforcement agent to those possessing and distributing child porn: If you harm our kids, we’re going to catch and prosecute you. The number of people charged with possession of child pornography is rising in New Jersey. During a news conference Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Matt Platkin, the chief law enforcement agent in the Garden State, said over the past several years there has been an uptick in reports of the number of tips about suspected predatory activity online, which has led to…
Read MoreID: Idaho governor signs into law child sex abuse death penalty bill, despite U.S. Supreme Court ruling
Source: idahocapitalsun.com 3/27/25 Widely supported in the Idaho Legislature, the bill is likely to face a constitutional challenge, lawmakers acknowledge. But they are hopeful law will prevail. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill to make people who sexually abuse young children in Idaho eligible for the death penalty. House Bill 380 will allow the death penalty in a new criminal charge the bill creates: aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger. The bill also would add mandatory minimum prison sentences for cases of aggravated lewd…
Read MoreMO: Missouri Files Final Brief in Halloween Sign Challenge
Source: ACSOL The State of Missouri filed its final brief today in the pending federal case that challenges the state’s Halloween sign law. The next step in the litigation process is oral argument before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. No date has yet been set for oral argument, however, the parties must be provided at least 30 days prior notice. “In its brief, the State of Missouri continues to repeat its claim that the law that requires all registrants to post a sign at their residence on Halloween is…
Read MoreGA: Georgia Suggests Making Sex Offender Registry Removal More Confusing
Source: filtermag.org 3/27/25 Georgia is weighing legislation that would make it more difficult for people on the state’s sex offender registry (SOR) to get off it, as well as to relocate—whether attempting to move in from out of state or move from one part of the state to another. Personally I’m more interested in getting out of Georgia, but that’s beyond the scope of HB 430. The bill pertains to registrants trying to move to a new county, potentially as they’re getting off the SOR. As of March 26, it appears to be in the…
Read MoreMI: A huge win in Michigan: U.S. District Court found that the registry is punishment!
Source: Florida Action Committee 3/27/25 This is big news: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruled the state can’t enforce the entirety of its 2021 version of the law against offenders who committed their crimes before July 1, 2011. And the Court found that the registry is punishment! Read the decision and more on FAC’s website
Read MoreMD: Lawmakers consider proposal to reduce potential of billions in sex abuse payouts
Source: marylandmatters.org 3/25/25 Supporters and opponents brace for courtroom fight if bill passes Facing the potential of multibillion-dollar payouts, lawmakers will consider legislation this week that would limit the state’s liability under the 2023 Child Victims Act. But advocates, legal experts and, not unexpectedly, attorneys for one group of nearly 5,000 plaintiffs who claim to have been sexually abused at the hands of state workers, say the proposed fix goes too far, and is likely unconstitutional. Even Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), the author of both the original bill and…
Read MoreIL: Bill proposes halving distance between sex offenders and schools to 250 feet
Source: mystateline.com 3/17/25 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — A new bill proposed in Illinois would reduce the distance convicted sex offenders are required to observe when living near schools. Senate Bill 2254, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Chicago), would reduce the distance sex offenders are required to stay from schools and playgrounds from 500 feet to 250 feet. Read the full article [Action alert for Illinois registrants and supporters: Call, write, and show up as soon as possible to support this bill to increase housing choices for registrants]
Read MoreWI: Possession of AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery may be protected by First Amendment in some cases, judge rules
Source: nbcnews.com 3/18/25 In February, a district judge tossed out a charge against a Wisconsin man of possession of the obscene material but allowed other charges to move forward Federal prosecutors are appealing a federal judge’s ruling in Wisconsin that possessing child sexual abuse material created by artificial intelligence is in some situations protected by the Constitution. The order and the subsequent appeal could have major implications for the future legal treatment of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, which has been a top concern among child safety advocates…
Read MoreAR: Arkansas tightens sex offender registry with new legal definitions
Source: 5newsonline.com 3/21/25 Acts 361 and 362 clarify and add requirements to existing legislation to provide stronger protection for minors in sex offender cases. ARKANSAS, USA — According to the Child Welfare League of America, human trafficking is the second-largest criminal industry in the world. This week, lawmakers in Arkansas made progress to tackle the issue through legislation. On Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law two bills that prosecutors said would help put away sex offenders. Senator Missy Irvin of District 24 says, “There was a case whereupon…
Read MoreIN: Government & Politics ‘Obscene performance’ ban added to child abuse bill, official misconduct expungements weighed
Source: indianacapitalchronicle.com 3/20/25 Rep. Chris Jeter declined to say whether his amendment was aimed at drag queen story times. Indiana lawmakers on Wednesday chose not to strip key provisions from legislation tightening handling of child sex abuse materials — yet — but did add a ban on any government-funded “obscene performance.” The House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code also moved a proposal allowing unelected officials convicted of official misconduct a path toward expungement. Senate Bill 326’s original purpose was replacing use of the phrase “child pornography” throughout Indiana Code with…
Read MoreFL: Scammers target sex offenders in Steuben County with fake warrant claims
Source: newportdispatch.com 3/18/25 BATH — The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about scammers impersonating law enforcement officials to extort money from registered sex offenders. Sheriff Jim Allard reports that scammers are contacting registered sex offenders claiming to be members of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. The fraudulent callers tell victims that arrest warrants have been issued due to missed DNA submissions. The scammers then demand payment through “non-traditional means” to have the supposed warrants vacated. Officials emphasize that the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office never solicits money from…
Read MoreID: Idaho House unanimously passes child sex abuse death penalty bill
Source: idahocapitalsun.com 3/17/25 As lawmakers anticipate court challenge, Idaho Republican House legislative leader says U.S. Supreme Court was wrong The Idaho House on Monday unanimously passed a bill to allow the death penalty for adults who sexually abuse children age 12 and younger in Idaho. Similar to his bill that stalled last year, House Bill 380, cosponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, would allow the death penalty in a new criminal charge the bill creates: aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger. Skaug’s bill also would add mandatory minimum prison…
Read MoreNV: Nevada bills aim to expand sex offender registration and protect trafficking victims
Source: msn.com 3/15/25 Two new bills introduced in the Nevada Legislature aim to address issues related to sex offenses and prostitution, with a focus on expanding offender registration and protecting victims of sex trafficking. Assembly Bill 151, sponsored by northern Nevada assemblyman Ken Gray, seeks to broaden the scope of sex offender registration and community notification requirements. Under current law, individuals convicted of crimes against children, defined as offenses against victims under 18, are classified as Tier II offenders. The proposed legislation would classify customers convicted of soliciting a child…
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