Press Releases
Girgenti Proposes Bill To Ban Sex Offenders From Youth Organizations
February 04, 2008
TRENTON –Senator John A. Girgenti, Chairman of the Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, recently introduced legislation to prohibit convicted sexual predators from working at youth organizations.
“In recent years too many children have fallen victim to the harmful attacks of sexual predators,” said Senator Girgenti, D-Bergen and Passaic. “Megan’s Law has helped make New Jersey residents feel safer by disclosing where sex offenders live, but we must do more to ensure that we protect our children in every way possible. This legislation will be an essential measure in the progression of laws designed to keep sexual predators away from our children.”
The bill, S 532, would make it illegal for a sex offender to work in a paid or voluntary capacity at a youth organization. A violator would be guilty of a third degree crime, which carries a penalty of three to five years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.
“As long as sex crimes continue to occur, we need to create stronger laws to keep known sexual predators away from our children,” said Senator Girgenti. “Sex offenders should never be near our children; my bill will increase the protection of our children, and help keep sex offenders from being involved in any way with youth groups.”