Legislation to Keep Sex Offender Photos Up to Date Passes Assembly Committee

May 23, 2012

Assemblymember Anthony J. Brindisi’s (D-Utica) proposed legislation to keep sex offender photos up to date (A.9229) has passed through the Assembly Corrections Committee.

“When Robert Blainey went missing last year, officials did the right thing by distributing his mug shot to the local media,” said Brindisi. “Unfortunately the circulated photo was completely out of date and no one was able to recognize who he really was. This legislation would allow law enforcement to take updated photos of level three sex offenders or sexual predators if their appearance has changed.”

Currently, level 3 sex offenders and sexual predators are required to appear in front of law enforcement every 90 days to verify their address. The law would allow updated pictures to be taken during this appearance if the offender’s appearance has changed. The photo will then be forwarded to the Division of Criminal Justice Services, noted Brindisi.

“If the public had an updated photo of Robert Blainey, we might have been able to avoid a tragedy,” Brindisi said. “We need to make sure law enforcement and the public have the most up to date information, especially when it comes to protecting our families.”

Brindisi is also the sponsor of several other bills addressing sex offender issues by:

• providing additional discharge planning for persons being released from civil confinement (A.8914);
• authorizing the state board of parole to require a violent felony offender to serve his or her maximum term, if release would pose an imminent threat to society (A.8915-A); and
• requiring all records of parole interviews for sexual predators are recorded and transmitted to the Office of Mental Health for review to examine any potential need for civil commitment (A.8917), this bill passed the Assembly in March.

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