Arson Registry Act Passes House

Virtual Water Cooler, December 7, 2007

Arson Registry Act Passes House

Washington – A bill aimed to keep tabs on convicted arsonists has passed the House.

H.R.1759, the Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2007 will requires states and jurisdictions to establish and maintain arsonist registries and make the registries available on the Internet.

The bill, introduced in March, was sponsored by Rep. Mary Bono (R.-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.), who saw their state ravaged by wildfires this summer. “Arson is a horrific crime that can devastate entire communities,” Bono says. “I am pleased that Congress has taken this step to giving law enforcement and fire officials a valuable tool to help prevent and penalize arson.”

Sen. Diane Feinstein (D.–Calif.) has introduced a companion piece of legislation into the upper chamber.

Source: House.gov

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