SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1996 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 130
Directing the Virginia State Crime Commission to study "Megan's Law."

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 8, 1996
Agreed to by the Senate, February 21, 1996

WHEREAS, "Megan's Law" is a measure passed in New Jersey which requires public notification of the presence in a community of a sex offender and establishes a means of tracking these offenders following release from incarceration or relocation at any time after conviction; and

WHEREAS, a number of states have adopted sex offender notification laws and, although Virginia tracks these offenders through notification to local law-enforcement authorities, Virginia law does not provide for notification to the general public; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to review Virginia's current law on notification of sex offenders' residency, the possible expansion of the law, and the legal and public safety implications of such an expansion of the law; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Virginia State Crime Commission be directed to study "Megan's Law." The Commission shall examine Virginia's current sex offender notification law and the efficacy of its expansion to include provisions of New Jersey's "Megan's Law."

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.

The Commission shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1997 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.