Judge to rule on Internet ban regarding sex offenders

[The Straight Story]

Judge to rule on Internet ban regarding sex offenders

BATON ROUGE — A federal judge will rule in three weeks on whether a new law banning convicted sex offenders from accessing certain Internet sites is constitutional.

U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson today took under consideration arguments by attorneys representing the state and the ACLU as to whether HB55 (Act 26) by Rep. Ledricka Thierry, D-Opelousas, violates 1st Amendment rights of convicted felons who targeted minors.

The law was promoted as banning such sex offenders from using social media sites, like Facebook and MySpace, to contact children.

Jackson said he is concerned that "unchecked, the statute in its current form is constitutionally problematic."

http://www.dailyworld.com/article/20111103/NEWS01/111030319/Judge-rule-Internet-ban-regarding-sex-offenders