New Law Puts Mark On Sex Offenders' IDs
Registered Sex Offenders Must Carry Special Driver's License By Sept. 1
POSTED: 1:36 pm CDT May 25,
2008
UPDATED: 11:09 am CDT May 26,
2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The state of Tennessee is set to issue a new kind of driver's license that will have a special marking signifying that the carrier is a sex offender.
Video: Sex Offenders To Get Special Driver's LicensesSome lawmakers said the idea is so simple that they don't know why they came up with the idea earlier. Police said the new license will go a long way toward protecting children.State Rep. Debra Maggart said she is troubled by the fact that a sex offender can anonymously roam the streets, especially after police pulled over a sex offender last December."He had four or five young boys in the car with him that he had lured out of a sleepover," Maggart said.That is why Maggart said she backed the bill that recently became law.On Sept. 1, every registered sex offender in the state must carry the special driver's license.The Department of Safety said it has yet to design the new license, but Maggart said it will look like any other Tennessee driver's license and only law enforcement officials will be able to see the notification.Lawmakers said they believe the special ID will alert police when an offender violates the law like going to a public park or getting too close to a school."When an officer pulls you over or stops you and looks at your ID -- when he calls that in to dispatch, all he is told is if you have an outstanding warrant or not. They don't share your rap sheet," Maggart said.Under the new law, if a police officer pulls over a sexual offender, the new license will notify them to look for things they usually would not during a routine traffic stop."This helps them do their job and helps protect our children in our state," Maggart said.Any sex offenders who don't qualify for a Tennessee driver's license will be required to get a state ID that will have the sex offender marking on it. Popular Slideshows On WSMV.com: Slideshow: Red-Hot Redheaded Celebrity Women Slideshow: Top Beaches In The U.S. Slideshow: Celebrities Commit Fashion Faux Pas Slideshow: Great Weather Photos
Video: Sex Offenders To Get Special Driver's LicensesSome lawmakers said the idea is so simple that they don't know why they came up with the idea earlier. Police said the new license will go a long way toward protecting children.State Rep. Debra Maggart said she is troubled by the fact that a sex offender can anonymously roam the streets, especially after police pulled over a sex offender last December."He had four or five young boys in the car with him that he had lured out of a sleepover," Maggart said.That is why Maggart said she backed the bill that recently became law.On Sept. 1, every registered sex offender in the state must carry the special driver's license.The Department of Safety said it has yet to design the new license, but Maggart said it will look like any other Tennessee driver's license and only law enforcement officials will be able to see the notification.Lawmakers said they believe the special ID will alert police when an offender violates the law like going to a public park or getting too close to a school."When an officer pulls you over or stops you and looks at your ID -- when he calls that in to dispatch, all he is told is if you have an outstanding warrant or not. They don't share your rap sheet," Maggart said.Under the new law, if a police officer pulls over a sexual offender, the new license will notify them to look for things they usually would not during a routine traffic stop."This helps them do their job and helps protect our children in our state," Maggart said.Any sex offenders who don't qualify for a Tennessee driver's license will be required to get a state ID that will have the sex offender marking on it. Popular Slideshows On WSMV.com: Slideshow: Red-Hot Redheaded Celebrity Women Slideshow: Top Beaches In The U.S. Slideshow: Celebrities Commit Fashion Faux Pas Slideshow: Great Weather PhotosCopyright 2008 by WSMV.com. All rights reserved.
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