More people will be added to Michigan's public online sex offender registry now that Governor Rick Snyder has signed a bill expanding it.
Snyder signed the bill Tuesday. Some people convicted of a Tier One offense involving minors will now be included on the online list. Tier One offenses include possessing child pornography and surveillance of a minor.
Republican state Senator Rick Jones sponsored the bill. He says these types of offenders used to be listed on a registry that was only available to police.
"However, it was brought to my attention by the police that about 250 people on the level one have committed crimes against children."
Jones said adding tier one offenders to the registry will help parents and guardians better protect their children. But critics argue the change will prevent people who've already paid their debts to society from fully rehabilitating.
-- Joseph Lichterman, Michigan Radio Newsroom
