Simpson bill would bar certain sex predators from using the Internet

February 1, 2008 

OLYMPIA -- If a sex offender uses the Internet to commit a sex crime, there's no reason to let them get back on the web to troll for more victims, says Rep. Geoff Simpson (D-Covington).

"The law I'm proposing is plain common sense," Simpson said. "If some predator was grooming kids online, or using the web to stalk victims, then there's no way we should let them use the internet to hurt more kids and families."

Simpson's proposed law -- House Bill 2644 -- would ban certain sex offenders from using the web while they were on community supervision.

"As a father, I'm just sickened by the stories I've heard about sex offenders," Simpson said. "Police tell us sex predators use the Internet for a variety of things -- to talk with other sex offenders who share their interests, to share child pornography, to go after kids in chat rooms. So if a sex offender uses the web as a tool to commit more crimes, let's take that tool away."

House Bill 2644 got a hearing in the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee on January 30.

The next step is a vote in that committee, then a vote on the floor of the House.

"We've been working together with police, prosecutors and victim advocates to do whatever we can to protect our communities from sexual predators," Simpson said. "This bill is a piece of that puzzle and I’m hopeful it will help keep our children safe."