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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2007
CONTACT:
Carol Maravic
717-787-6725
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- Press Conference (41 minutes)

Sen. Orie's Bill Would Make PA One of First States To Implement National Adam Walsh Child Safety Act

Pennsylvania would lead the way in implementing the national Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act under legislation unveiled today by Senator Jane Orie (R-Allegheny).  During a news conference today at the state capitol, Orie outlined the proposal, which establishes federally mandated national standards to strengthen sex offender registration and notification.

During the news conference, John Walsh, who heads the Adam Walsh Foundations, made a videotaped presentation urging passage of Orie’s legislation.  Also attending was Mary Kozakiewicz, mother of Alicia Kozakiewicz, a Pittsburgh teenager who was abducted by an Internet predator.  Orie was also joined by law enforcement representatives and child safety advocates.

Congress passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act on July 27, the 25th anniversary of the day Adam Walsh was kidnapped.  He was later found murdered, and his father John Walsh has led national efforts to strengthen laws relating to child abduction and sexual offenders.

Orie has introduced legislation in the state Senate to require Pennsylvania to implement the Adam Walsh law, also known as the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  States have three years to implement the program with bonus awards made by the Sex Offender Management Assistance program to jurisdictions that are in compliance by July 27, 2008.

"The Adam Walsh Act is crucial to protecting our children from predators because it seeks to create a national sex offender registry that will be available on the Internet and have uniform enforcement," Orie said.  "The act also provides stricter prison sentences for offenders who fail to register and keep their information current.  The convicted offender will have to register in person, and the worst offenders will have to check-in more frequently – ensuring that they don’t slip through the cracks."

In addition to establishing a national system for the registration of convicted sex offenders, the act:

• Requires all jurisdictions to enact criminal penalties for sex offenders who fail to comply with registration requirements.
• Requires sex offender to appear in person to verify their registrations.
• Imposes a fine and/or jail time up to 20 years for sex offenders who knowingly fail to register.
• Makes registration as a sex offender a mandatory condition of probation and supervised release.
• Directs the attorney general to provide assistance to jurisdictions to help identify sex offenders relocated due to a natural disaster.

Orie said the changes will also make the system more uniform, more inclusive, more informative, and more readily available to the public.  Walsh praised Pennsylvania legislators for pushing for the legislation, saying it is crucial to national child safety efforts.

"Pennsylvania recently passed Jessica's Law and updated its Megan's Law to crack down on sexual predators who prey on our children," Walsh said.  "I am grateful that the Commonwealth is now working swiftly to one of the first states to step forward and enact the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act, which will give families the necessary tools to protect their children."