Megan’s Law is a federal law that allows the public to have access to the whereabouts of registered sex offenders. However, since 2012 in Pennsylvania, that hasn’t applied to juvenile offenders.Several state lawmakers from Westmoreland County gathered Thursday to express their desire to change that.”We are just getting the word out to let people know that there are gaps,” said Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Hempfield Township. “The key that we’re identifying here is that there’s a gap in Megan’s Law and communities are not being notified.”Under Pennsylvania’s current version of Megan’s Law, if a sex offender convicted as a juvenile before 2012 is excused by a judge after a year of a clean record, they can live unsupervised and not show up on the list.”They could walk into a church, a daycare, a senior home, and these parameters of protection, an employer even doing due diligence will not know,” Nelson said. “Picture a young mom with two kids who’s trying to get to Dollar General. The nice man next door says, ‘I’ll watch the kids, go pick up that milk.'”As juvenile offenders age out of the judicial system, they’re sent to the Sexuality Responsibility Treatment Program at Torrance State Hospital in Derry Township. That initiative has been in place through Act 21 since the early 2000s.”We’re the only facility well known around the state that offers these services,” said Rep. Leslie Rossi, R-Unity Township. Rossi represents District 59, where Torrance is located. “I respect and appreciate all of the work that the employees at Torrance do. These people are individuals. They have to have treatment. They have to have a process to get back into society.”Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube ChannelAccording to the state Department of Human Services, 15 offenders have left Torrance since 2012. On Thursday, representatives say the majority of those released end up staying in Western Pennsylvania. “Those individuals, not only are they being transitioned out, but they’re being transitioned mostly in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties,” Nelson said. “We will not allow Westmoreland County to be a dumping ground for sexual offenders,” said Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton. “If an individual can return to Westmoreland County, surely they can also return to their home safely.”That’s what’s brought four local state lawmakers together to draft a revised version of Megan’s Law and Act 21. “We need those safeguards put in place that are being followed, they’re being monitored, and checking in with someone,” Rossi said. “All these years later, they’re older adults, but they’ve done the same kind of crimes an adult would do. At the snap of a finger, they can get impulses and go back to their bad, dangerous habits.”The hope is that offenders before 2012 show up on Megan’s list, and that they have more supervision after one year to avoid recommitting sex crimes. “It only takes five minutes to change someone’s life forever, and we want to make sure we close this gap,” Nelson said.”I’m confident that all of us that run for office, take that seat, and represent the district will care enough to do the right thing and help out in this,” Rossi added. “We’ll get it corrected.”Republican Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew sent the following statement on the matter to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4:”I only want to know how the state plans to protect our children from violent sex offenders that they had to release into our community. I’m frustrated by the lack of reporting, and I am glad to see my state colleagues stepping up to fix this hole in the statute.”With the near statewide elimination of state hospitals for mental health, other counties’ offenders are sent to Torrance for their care, and potentially released into Westmoreland, not back to their home counties. When released to Westmoreland, that uses fiscal resources earmarked for Westmoreland residents, without any reimbursement from the home county or the state.”Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. —

Megan’s Law is a federal law that allows the public to have access to the whereabouts of registered sex offenders. However, since 2012 in Pennsylvania, that hasn’t applied to juvenile offenders.

Several state lawmakers from Westmoreland County gathered Thursday to express their desire to change that.

“We are just getting the word out to let people know that there are gaps,” said Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Hempfield Township. “The key that we’re identifying here is that there’s a gap in Megan’s Law and communities are not being notified.”

Under Pennsylvania’s current version of Megan’s Law, if a sex offender convicted as a juvenile before 2012 is excused by a judge after a year of a clean record, they can live unsupervised and not show up on the list.

“They could walk into a church, a daycare, a senior home, and these parameters of protection, an employer even doing due diligence will not know,” Nelson said. “Picture a young mom with two kids who’s trying to get to Dollar General. The nice man next door says, ‘I’ll watch the kids, go pick up that milk.'”

As juvenile offenders age out of the judicial system, they’re sent to the Sexuality Responsibility Treatment Program at Torrance State Hospital in Derry Township. That initiative has been in place through Act 21 since the early 2000s.

“We’re the only facility well known around the state that offers these services,” said Rep. Leslie Rossi, R-Unity Township. Rossi represents District 59, where Torrance is located. “I respect and appreciate all of the work that the employees at Torrance do. These people are individuals. They have to have treatment. They have to have a process to get back into society.”

Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel

According to the state Department of Human Services, 15 offenders have left Torrance since 2012.

On Thursday, representatives say the majority of those released end up staying in Western Pennsylvania.

“Those individuals, not only are they being transitioned out, but they’re being transitioned mostly in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties,” Nelson said.

“We will not allow Westmoreland County to be a dumping ground for sexual offenders,” said Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton. “If an individual can return to Westmoreland County, surely they can also return to their home safely.”

That’s what’s brought four local state lawmakers together to draft a revised version of Megan’s Law and Act 21.

“We need those safeguards put in place that [offenders] are being followed, they’re being monitored, and checking in with someone,” Rossi said. “All these years later, they’re older adults, but they’ve done the same kind of crimes an adult would do. At the snap of a finger, they can get impulses and go back to their bad, dangerous habits.”

The hope is that offenders before 2012 show up on Megan’s list, and that they have more supervision after one year to avoid recommitting sex crimes.

“It only takes five minutes to change someone’s life forever, and we want to make sure we close this gap,” Nelson said.

“I’m confident that all of us that run for office, take that seat, and represent the district will care enough to do the right thing and help out in this,” Rossi added. “We’ll get it corrected.”

Republican Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew sent the following statement on the matter to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4:

“I only want to know how the state plans to protect our children from violent sex offenders that they had to release into our community. I’m frustrated by the lack of reporting, and I am glad to see my state colleagues stepping up to fix this hole in the statute.

“With the near statewide elimination of state hospitals for mental health, other counties’ offenders are sent to Torrance for their care, and potentially released into Westmoreland, not back to their home counties. When released to Westmoreland, that uses fiscal resources earmarked for Westmoreland residents, without any reimbursement from the home county or the state.”

Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.