Everyone needs to write/call legislators. Send letters to news organizations, etc..let them all know putting Sex Offender doesn't do anything but put a scarlet letter on the registrant.

This is sad, but as long as the SOs and their families sit around waiting for someone else to help them it will never end, Louisiana has it on the drivers license, Texas tried but it was fought by the few that will stand up,

Get your state org together and fight it.

This is something that must be stood up against, for sure!

Excellent Opinion Piece -
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/02/27/tennessee_sex_offender_driver_s_license_bill_rep_matthew_hill_wants_to_add.html

Notice how the article says (paraphrasing) the registry is bad for SO's kids?

Oklahoma already has this law. It was passed several years back. The word "sex offender" is stamped on the face of the license in bold red letters in three or four places. The author of the bill came up with some lame excuse why it was needed, but it is nothing but a hideous example of shaming.

The law was originally for all sex offenders, but was modified before its passage to only include habitual or aggravated offenders, of which I am neither.

As a side note, in the Starkey decision heard by the Oklahoma Supreme Court last June, the issue of the words "sex offender" on the license was one of the items which the justices deemed as punitive. If you read the opinion closely, the drivers license issue really irked the judges.

And my friend BuildingUpSlow is exactly right. Unless and until we start making our voices heard at the state level, these bill will continue to be passed. The politicians are not just going to quit authoring these foolish bills out of the goodness of their hearts.

We have to get involved, but since this is a support forum only, and rightly so, that is all I will say about that.

rewdiazepam

I recommend everyone writes the writer of the Slate opinion article, thanking her for writing the truth about how these laws impact the families.
Tenn. people do need to band together and go to their legislators to vote against this proposition.

@ Buildingupslow -- I agree with you completely.

I suppose one day we will see a Bill passed that requires SO's to have a stamp on their forehead in big red letters saying they are a sex offender, or maybe they will have to wear a symbol fixed to their clothing so that everyone knows.

I am glad, however, that at least one legislator had sense enough to question to long-term consequences of the Bill. Seems to me the logic of "wanting it public" is already satisfied by the registry so anything else is simply overkill and for what -- political point scoring.

I fail to see how this can help anyone let alone protecte anyone it would only serve to embess people more as well as add to there punishment.

Read comment on slate seems like this bill got shot down as fast as it went to the committee

This guy is as lame as one can get. I live in TN and have 5 years remaining on the registry. It's so pathetic to see these people sit around and think "Hmmmmmmmm.......let's see, what shall I try to come up with? Hmmm.......let's see........." <Flips a coin> "Ah yes! Let me try to be the kewl dude in the group!". Sorry, but I have to laugh at such idiotic, repundent poor excuses of such tax payer waste.....as I read this guy is making himself a laughing stock........TN has so many laws, believe me........99% are just "Feel Good" laws and are as useless as the pen that signed them into law.

Where are all the family's of ILL?

did it Nathan for real? they aren't going to pass it ? oh I hope youa re right about that ,we in ten and boy I couldn't believe it how dare they try to put more unishmnet on top of punishment as is on my hub s id they have a code number aleady cops can tell if someone on registry they don't need to put them words on his lic plate . oh I pray they don't . people are already paying for what they may have dne etc and trying to live normal and do right ,like my hub , they would only hurt him and us and put all usin danger and ridicle , yes that is punitive punishment and its not right !!! so did they really pass it or not ..tell me truth please

Imeant on dr lic they don't need to be that way let people whom do live right and obey the law live normal .