Monadnock legislators propose variety bills for 2016
Two constitutional amendments, prohibiting the use of flame throwers, establishing a registry of people convicted of heroin-related offenses, adding the production of hard cider to a brew pub license, and funding a statewide drug court program are among the bills Monadnock Region legislators have proposed for 2016.
They’ve also signed onto measures dealing with manufactured housing taxes, the minimum wage, abortion, gun control, creating an independent redistricting commission and not allowing the retroactive application of the sex offender registry.
Therefore, a sex offender required to register with the state would register based on the laws in effect at the time of the offense, not the laws currently in effect, according to the proposed legislation.
Rep. Cynthia L. Chase, D-Keene, is the prime sponsor on the bill dealing with the sex offender registry, which fellow Keene Democrat Timothy N. Robertson is co-sponsoring. Robertson has introduced versions of the bill during previous legislative sessions.
Chase said she supports the bill because sex offenders shouldn’t live in fear of being killed by vigilantes. She notes examples of a sex offender who was killed at his home in Keene and a Westmoreland man who was severely beaten for no reason at his home. The man lived near a registered sex offender, Chase said.
Law enforcement officials haven’t said if vigilantes were responsible for incidents, but a New Hampshire group called Citizens for Criminal Justice Reform issued a news release last year claiming that to be the case.
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Posted: Tuesday, January 5, 2016 12:00 pm