Paterson tackles sex offender law's loopholes

Gov. David A. Paterson is seeking to close loopholes in state law that allow sex offenders to go unmonitored, he said Sunday.

Paterson Sunday announced he submitted legislation that would make it a felony for sex offenders to fail to report their address as required and require all people convicted of "sexually motivated" felonies to register with the state sex offender list. Up until now, it was unclear whether all such offenders - such as someone who commits a burglary in the course of trying to commit a rape - should register.

The proposal also requires sex offenders registered in other states to add their name to New York's list and forces Level 2 offenders to take a new photograph for the registry every year, instead of every three years, as they do now.

"There are several shortcomings in the current law which limit its abilities and this new bill addresses those deficiencies," Paterson said in a statement released to media.

Paterson's deputy secretary for public safety, Mary Kaveny, said in an interview that the ideas in the legislation sprang from people who work with the state registry who identified weaknesses in existing law.

Kaveny said Paterson does not yet have commitments from members of the Assembly and state Senate to introduce the legislation.

"I'm confident we'll have members interested in being sponsors," she said.

State Sen. Brian Foley (D-Blue Point), who has advocated for tougher sex offender laws, has yet to read Paterson's proposal, said spokesman Ibrahim Khan.

"While Senator Foley is closely reviewing the various provisions in the governor's proposal, he is fully supportive of efforts to close key loopholes in existing sex offender statute," Khan said.