Press Releases...
For Immediate Release:
February 15,
2006
Watson Sex Offender Bill Approved in House
Springfield, IL……With Wednesday’s approval in the
Illinois House of Representatives, HB4222, sponsored by State Representative Jim
Watson (R-Jacksonville), has moved one step closer to making the children of
Illinois safer from sexual predators. Watson’s bill allows for active
electronic monitoring, targeting the worst of the worst, the child offenders and
repeat rapists, those who commit the most heinous offenses.
“GPS tracking of sex offenders is a good thing if done
correctly and limited to the right individuals,” said Watson “those in most
need. That is our intention and I am extremely happy that colleagues on both
sides of the aisle worked with me to get this bill approved.”
Under
the measure the Department of Corrections will use a system that actively
monitors and identifies the offender's location, gives timely reports on that
location and alerts the Department if the offender is discovered to be within a
prohibited area or if the offender has left their specified geographic
limitation.
HB4222 was approved unanimously in the House following
floor debate. “There were some tough questions brought up” Watson said “But if
there are things that need to be refined, we can work on that in the Senate.
But the bottom line is, with this legislation, with the active electronic
monitoring, our kids will be much safer from these sexual predators.
The legislation is modeled after the Jessica Lunsford
legislation in Florida. Following the girl’s rape and murder her father
campaigned for GPS monitoring of sexual predators. That measure, requiring
released sexual predators to wear electronic monitoring devices, was approved
last year.
Following approval in the House, Watson’s bill now moves on
to the upper chamber for consideration.
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