NJ: Out-of-state sex offenders can challenge registration requirement

Authorities must weigh whether a sex offender convicted in other states committed a crime similar to a Megan’s Law offense before forcing them to register under the law in New Jersey, an appellate court found Monday. The ruling, which ordered two cases in Secaucus and Union City reopened motions to dismiss and reversed a conviction in the Secaucus case, says

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Why laws named after tragedies win public support

When lawmakers name bills after victims of tragedy—such as Megan’s Law or the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993—public support surges, but this emotional boost may come at the expense of sound policymaking, according to research published in the journal Psychology, Public Policy, and Law. The study examined whether eponymous bills—those named for victims—receive more public backing than identical

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URGENT – HB 45 Call to Action – Act before Committee Meeting on Tuesday Feb 24

HB 45 is on the Agenda to be heard at the House Judiciary Committee meeting scheduled for 8:30 am Tuesday February 24th.  This is the Final Call to Action: HB 45/SB 212 “Sexual Offenders” The Current House Bill 45 (as of Feb 20, 2026): Swimming Pool residency ban: Registrants with specified offenses involving those less than 16 years old which

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New Federal Bill to Ban Registrants from Homeless Shelters

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has introduced legislation that would bar registered citizens from entering federally funded shelters. It’s called the ‘Safe Shelters for Survivors Act of 2026’. The proposal overlooks a glaring and uncomfortable reality. A disproportionate share of the homeless population is made up of people on the registry — not because they choose homelessness, but because a

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In the Wake of Epstein Proximity Panic, States Are Racing to Pass Sex-Offender Laws Without Evidence or Consequence Analysis

We all know what’s going on in Florida with HB 45/SB 212, but we are not alone. Over the last several weeks, we’ve seen a wave of new proposals in statehouses that tighten restrictions on people convicted of sex offenses. But the speed and tone of these efforts, driven in part by what we identified in last week’s Weekly Update

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