PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Island’s Democratic House speaker says he objects to a settlement in a lawsuit that challenged a law limiting the number of registered sex offenders at shelters.
Nicholas Mattiello told The Providence Journal the state law hasn’t changed and is still enforceable.
The law puts a 10-percent limit on the number of shelter beds given to registered sex offenders. The state wasn’t enforcing it while a judge considered the legal challenge by homeless advocates.
Under the settlement announced last week, shelter providers won’t exceed the limitations as long as they report the names of people housed overnight to police and that they’ve considered available alternative shelters or housing.
Cranston lawmakers pushed for the law because of the number of sex offenders staying at the Harrington Hall shelter.
Mattiello’s district includes Harrington Hall.
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