Pa. Supreme Court throws out parts of Megan’s Law
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is throwing out portions of the state’s version of Megan’s Law, saying lawmakers violated the constitution’s requirement that new laws must be confined to a single subject.
The justices on Monday ruled that a set of changes made in 2004, creating a searchable online database of offenders, isn’t constitutional. The court put its decision on hold for three months.
The law made other changes to Megan’s Law and put a two-year statute of limitations on asbestos actions, established jurisdiction for park police and altered real estate law.
Chief Justice Ronald Castille dissented, saying he would have upheld the law.
A state police spokeswoman says changes made to the law since 2004 make it difficult to immediately assess the practical effect of the court’s decision.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.