Pocono News Section

Legislators Targeting Sex Law Loopholes

Legislators Targeting Sex Law Loopholes - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 04:13AM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Tuesday May 18 2010
We have a follow-up to an Eyewitness News exclusive report regarding loopholes in the state's sex offender laws.

We first told you in February about the case of Matthew Benkoe, a transient sex offender arrested while working at the Lycoming County Fair.

Benkoe beat charges for failing to register as a sex offender due to a 30-day residency loophole in Pennsylvania's version of Megan's Law.

At the time, Lycoming County Assistant District Attorney Mary Kilgus vowed to see the law changed.

And now local legislators are taking up the cause.

Rep. Garth Everett (R- 84th district) is a primary sponsor of House Bill 1024.

Everett said, "(This) new legislation takes it down to 48 hours and specifically says it applies to transient-type people."

The state's superior court recently identified an additional loophole regarding violent sexual predators from out of state.

Another bill has been proposed to close that gap.

Now the commonwealth's top cop has joined the call to action.

State Police Commissioner Frank Pawlowski issued a press release urging the legislature to move quickly.

Pawlowski says the changes can be made with a few simple amendments to the state's crimes code.

Everett noted, "I don't think there's anybody who disagrees with fixing this loophole. These are the kind of bills that normally pass unanimously in both the House and Senate and are signed by the governor."

That's if the bills don't get bogged down in committees- something Senator Gene Yaw (R- 23rd district), who has sponsored his own bill, hopes to avoid.

Yaw said, Especially with the broad-based support that this bill has in the Senate, I think that it merits some special consideration."

Both legislators say they will press hard to have their bills passed before the yearly budget battle heats up this summer.

Yaw added, "We just need to bring it to everybody's attention, what we're trying to do."

Both congressmen we spoke with say public support is crucial to help their push for these bills.

They're asking everyone to call or write their local legislators and encourage them to close the sex law loopholes.