HARRISBURG, June 8 – The House of Representatives today unanimously passed
legislation authored by state Rep. Rick Taylor, D-Montgomery, that would require convicted
sex offenders who are homeless to register with state police under Megan's Law
The legislation (H.B.
1926) would also require Megan's Law registrants that cease to have a residence to
report in person to the Pennsylvania state Police on a weekly basis until they again
establish a residence.
Taylor said the Superior Court of Pennsylvania has twice ruled that the penalty
provisions in Megan's Law for failing to register cannot be applied to a person who is
homeless. Consequently, a ruling in 2009, Commonwealth v. Wilgus, resulted in the bill
gaining momentum in the legislature.
"While the General Assembly has successfully strengthened Pennsylvania's Megan's
law since it first was enacted in 1996, our work is not done," Taylor said.
"Court rulings often reveal discrepancies in laws we have on the books and if sex
offenders are able to evade the law because they are between apartments, we need to fix
it.
"In terms of public safety and trust, one sex offender unaccounted for is one too
many in our communities," he said. "My bill would require offenders who are
displaced from a current residence, or without one, to register -- no exceptions."
Taylor consulted with law enforcement when drafting the bill, which mirrors similar
statutes in Washington and Minnesota.
If enacted, the bill would be the second proposal signed into law that Taylor has
authored to strengthen Megan's Law. In 2008, language he drafted was included in
legislation that closed a loophole in the Pennsylvania Crimes
Code that allowed some online predators to avoid the Megan's Law requirement.
House Bill 1926 now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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