After last week’s opinion of the Maine Supreme Court that the Maine Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act may be in trouble, a Lakes Region lawmaker said it looks like it’s time to change the rules.

“The constitutionality of the registry is certainly in question,” said State Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Cumberland County. He is the Senate Chair of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee that will be meeting on Oct. 23 to discuss modifying the law to avoid what two justices referred to as a “scarlet letter” punishment.

The Maine Supreme Court said the sex offender registry may be considered additional punishment to offenders who have already served a prison sentence, and in many cases occurring retroactively to offenders who committed crimes long before the registry was instated.

“My issue is, if someone is dangerous enough where they should be restricted where they can go, they shouldn’t be out of jail,” said Diamond.

An anonymous sex offender attempted a lawsuit in Kennebec County Superior Court, saying he committed his crime in the 1980s and that it was unfair to have to register now. This “John Doe” case was thrown out, but the Maine Supreme Court has reversed that decision and the case will return to superior court, although no date has been set.

Sex offender Calvin Shelton of Bridgton said the restrictions placed by the registry place some offenders under “virtual house arrest.” He said most parts of towns are off-limits to sex offenders, including the space surrounding their homes.

“If they leave their homes inside a ‘restricted zone’ they are subject to arrest,” he said. “One I personally have talked with can’t even walk around his block because of a school nearby. He has to shop in Portland now for food and stuff. Is this right to you?”

“After almost 24 years I am under more supervision and restrictions than I was while on parole,” said Shelton. He said he has to go through the motions of being arrested every three months and feels like he has been given a life sentence.

He said he’d like to see a way for former offenders who have not committed a second offense after 10 years to be exempt from the registry, and is willing to speak before Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.