News from Assemblyman 130th Assembly District JOSEPH A. ERRIGO   For immediate release: January 19th, 2006 Contact: Adam Peterson (585) 334-5210 District Office: 3045 East Henrietta Rd., Henrietta, NY  14467 Albany Office: Rm 427 LOB, Albany, NY  12248

CONTACT: BONNIE TURNER (585) 334-5210   ERRIGO APPLAUDS MEGAN’S LAW VICTORY, CALLS FOR PASSAGE OF CIVIL CONFINEMENT        This week we saw passage of legislation strengthening Megan’s Law, and called for immediate passage of a civil confinement measure to battle repeat sex offenders.      I voted to keep sex offenders on the state Sex Offender Registry for longer periods of time. “. The next common-sense step is civil confinement, keeping the most dangerous predators out of our neighborhoods.      Civil confinement would allow the courts to order the worst sex offenders held in secure mental-health facilities beyond their prison release dates if, upon extensive evaluation and a unanimous jury verdict, it is determined they could strike again.      My Assembly Republican colleagues and I have supported this measure for years, and residents across my district have been signing petitions in support of civil confinement. “Strengthening the Megan’s Law registry was a good first step. Now the Assembly speaker must bring civil confinement legislation to the floor.      Assembly majority Democrats last month unveiled their version of civil confinement, known as civil commitment.      I stand with my Assembly Republican colleagues in calling for a joint conference committee of both houses of the state Legislature to review the civil confinement proposals and attempt to reach a bipartisan agreement. A similar committee was used to settle differences on the Megan’s Law provisions approved Wednesday.                                                                                                                    -30-                                                                     1/19/06