Missourians could have the ability to punch their address into an online database and see if any convicted murderers live near them. A bill sponsored by state Representative Lane Roberts, R-Joplin, would expand the sex offender registry to show convicted murderers out on probation or parole.
Rep. Lane Roberts, the House Crime Prevention Committee Chair, speaks on the House floor on May 10, 2021 (photo: Tim Bommel, House Communications)
A Missouri Senate committee is reviewing House Bill 1705. State lawmakers have three weeks left to pass bills this legislative session.
“For the same reason that you might want to know if somebody has a sexual misconduct background, the same reason you might want to know if they have a conviction for first-degree or second-degree murder. You might not want your children spending the night in a home where somebody is there, or you might not want to associate with somebody who has shown a willingness to do what the rest of us won’t do. And it’s very, very important in the context of this bill to recognize that is specifically why I think it is justified to have a registry because these folks have set themselves apart. They’ve done what we won’t do. That’s important to know. The ability to do that represents a constant threat,” Roberts said to Missourinet.
Under the bill, once the offenders complete parole they would be removed from the registry.
At the public’s fingertips would be the same information as for sex offenders – the person’s name and any known aliases, date of birth, their address, physical description of the felon, pictures, criminal sentence and description of the offender’s vehicle.
During Missouri House debate on the bill, some Democrats brought up concerns they have. In this Show Me Today interview, Representative Roberts responds to some of those concerns as well as other details about the legislation. (17:13)
Copyright © 2022 · Missourinet
