WASHINGTON, DC – An amendment offered by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) that incentivizes states to require lifetime electronic monitoring (GPS) of sex offenders passed the House Judiciary Committee earlier today. The amendment was offered to the “Children’s Safety Act” (H.R. 3132), a comprehensive bill to combat sex offenders who prey on children. Congressman Schiff is a co-sponsor of this legislation.
States that meet the following minimum requirements within three years of enactment will receive a 10% bonus in law enforcement grants:
Lifetime electronic monitoring for a released sex offender where the victim was under 12 years old.
Lifetime electronic monitoring for a released sex offender where a minor was a victim and where the offender had a prior sex offense conviction.
Electronic monitoring during probation, parole, or supervised release for all other sex offenders where a minor was a victim.
“Last month, I had the chance to sit down with Mark Lunsford, father of 9 year-old Jessica Lunsford, who was brutally molested and murdered by a sexually violent predator in Florida. As a father and former prosecutor, I have no higher priority than to combat the serious threat posed by sex offenders that prey upon our children,” said Schiff. “This bill dramatically increases penalties on those who prey upon our kids, and I strongly support it. My amendment will add the tool of GPS tracking technology to monitor predators for life.”
Florida and Oklahoma have already passed legislation requiring the use of monitoring devices and legislatures in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York are considering similar laws.
Congressman Schiff is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles and the co-founder of the Democratic Study Group on National Security. He is a member of both the House Judiciary and International Relations committees. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.
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