PIERRE, S.D. (KJJQ) – The Senate Judiciary Committee deferred action on a bill that would have added convictions that require registration on the state’s sex offender registry.

Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg says this comes at the encouragement of the Federal Department of Justice. It covers the felony use or distribution of photos, recordings or other electronic media for sexual gratification or to embarrass someone.

Senator Lee Schoenbeck of Watertown says making someone a lifetime sex offender for some of these crimes is going too far.

Those on the sex offender registry must remain at least 500 feet away from any school or park. That’s the ban Schoenbeck was referring to.

Senator Craig Kennedy of Yankton also has concerns. He says the statute they’re discussing really deals with invasion of privacy.

The committee voted unanimously to defer the bill until Ravnsborg can work on some of the concerns.

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