Authorities are now able to release information regarding sex offenders who committed crimes as juveniles after Gov. Jim Doyle signed Assembly Bill 99 into action Monday.
One of a series of bills to receive the governor's approval, Assembly Bill 99 specifically gives police chiefs and sheriffs the right to disclose information concerning juvenile sex offenders if they feel the public's safety is at risk. Previously, officials could not notify the public about sex offenders if their crimes were committed while they were not yet legal adults.
Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin, and Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay, authored AB99, which is also known as Amie's Law within the Legislature. The law is named for Amie Zyla, who was assaulted by a 14-year-old family friend when she was eight years old. Her assailant, Joshua Wade, who is currently 23, continued to commit several other sexual offenses, yet police were unable to inform the public of his juvenile criminal record.
