Megan's Law Essay

Megan’s Law is a federal law enacted in 1996 and required law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders (Megan's Law & The Adam Walsh Child Protection Act, 2000). Beforehand, sex offenders were only required to register with local law enforcement and were not required to notify the public of their status. Megan Kanka, a 7 year old girl, was raped and murdered by a twice-convicted sex offender living across the street from her. Her parents went on to attempt to change the law by demanding mandatory community notification of sex offenders. Megan’s Law was finally passed due to public opinion from Megan Kanka’s death, the unanimous decision in House and Senate, and the contributions

Before Megan’s Law was enacted, The Wetterling Act was in place, requiring the registry of all once-convicted sex offenders. They were not, however, required to publicly release their information unless they were volunteering to do so. In 1994 in Mercer County, New Jersey, Jesse Timmendequas, a two-time convicted felon for sexual assault, lured 7 year old Megan Kanka into his house, raped her, then killed her by strangulation. Her parents, devastated by her death, went on to push for justice. They demanded the community notification of all registered sex offenders. They argued that Megan would’ve still been alive if they were notified of the registered sex offender. Public opinion was critical to the passing of Megan’s Law because public opinion creates new areas in which the community will support or accept the new

Concluding the debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. The Roll count was 418-0 Yeas to Nays, respectively. The next day, the bill was received in the Senate. They looked over it twice and was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under general orders. The bill was passed by the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent on May 9th, 1996. The message on the Senate’s action was sent back to the House, which was then presented to the President by the House on May 13th, 1996. The bill was signed by the President 4 days later and became public law (H.R.2137 - Megan's Law,