NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
Tennessee State Rep. Debra Maggart has tried in the past to limit sex offender's access to the Internet but all her bills have failed.
However, there's new hope following the passage of a new law in Louisiana says if a sex offender wants a Facebook page they have to post their criminal status. It will go into effect August 1.
"I'm very interested in what they're doing because I have tried similar measures in the General Assembly in my time there and so I'm definitely going to take a look at what they're doing," Rep. Maggart told Nashville.
Louisiana State Rep. Jeff Thomson sponsored the bill which carries serious consequences for offenders found breaking the law.
It would be a felony charge and the offender would serve a minimum of two to 10 years of hard labor in prison without a possibility of parole and a $1,000 fine.
A second offence would be an automatic 20-year prison sentence.
"Everybody uses Facebook and it's become part of our lives," Rep. Maggart said.
She continued, "People don't think about people using that as a tool to harm our children. We know that predators already prey on our children on the Internet. That happens every day."
Maggart said she plans to research Louisiana's law and possibly discuss a similar measure for Tennessee in the next legislative session.
