Reasons to lift sex offender restrictions?

Rep. Tim Robertson (D-Keene) is sponsoring HB 263, a bill prohibiting local residency restrictions for sex offenders.

The New Hampshire state police support the bill, arguing that residency restrictions make offenders harder to track by forcing them underground.

"If you're forbidden from living where you have an opportunity to live ... you go back to living under a bridge," Robertson said at a hearing.

Last year the Senate rejected a bill prohibiting residency restrictions; Sen. Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester) expects a similar outcome this year.

"We're talking about two significant situations — sex offenders and sex offenders against children — that touch the core of society," D'Allesandro said.