State Not Complying With National Sex Offender Registry

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By Lisa Chavarria

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee could be at risk of losing millions of dollars in federal grants for not complying with the National Sex Offender Registry.

More than three years after Congress ordered stepped-up monitoring of sex offenders, only one state has adopted the government's strict new requirements. Tennessee is not that state.

Tennessee must decided to either adopt the new requirements or ignore the law and pay a penalty. If the state does not comply, millions of dollars in federal grants could be lost.

State leaders do not know how much it would cost to adopt the new requirements. California officials estimated it would cost them nearly $38 million.

Congress has extended the initial compliance deadline to July 2010.

The new requirements were created to keep better track sex offenders across state lines.

e-mail: lchavarria@newschannel5.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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