Sex Offender Registry Bill Scheduled to be Considered by House Today Will Allow Misdemeanor Sex Offenders Continued Access to Guns—Despite Ban Passed by House on Voice Vote on Similar Bill Last Year
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Wednesday, March 8, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to consider a sex offender registration bill (H.R. 4472) that does not contain a provision that would prohibit gun possession by individuals convicted of misdemeanor sex offenses against minors. This is despite the fact that such a ban was included in the "The Children's Safety Act of 2005" (H.R. 3132), a similar bill that was passed by the House in September 2005. The gun prohibition was added to H.R. 3132 as an amendment by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and passed on a voice vote. An anti-hate crime provision that was added as an amendment to H.R. 3132 is also not included in the new bill.