Assemblyman Marc Butler (R,C-Newport) today joined new Assembly Minority Leader James N. Tedisco (R,C,I-Schenectady-Saratoga) in vowing to focus their attention on getting key legislation passed during the 2006 session.
"Leader Tedisco put together an agenda that isn’t conservative or liberal, but one that is designed to protect the people of this state from those who would do harm," said Butler. "If one issue on our agenda is going to get attention, it will be civil confinement."
Assembly minority members have pushed for passage of civil confinement legislation for over a decade, only to have it repeatedly blocked by the Assembly majority. Similar bills have easily passed the state Senate several times, with bipartisan support, and Gov. George Pataki says he would sign the legislation as soon as it comes across his desk.
"Our minority conference is strong, focused and committed to making New York’s communities safer for the innocent and vulnerable," Butler said. "I’m excited about the upcoming legislative session, working with our new minority leader and, above all else, serving the people of my district."
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have civil confinement laws on the books that have been upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Civil confinement would allow judges to order the worst sex offenders – classified as Level 3 sexual predators by state officials – to be confined in mental-health facilities following their release from prisons so they can receive further professional medical treatment and counseling. The offenders would remain in the facilities until they are deemed safe for release into society.