Montana Kills Gay Category in Sex Offense Bill
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HELENA, Mont. — In a quick about-face, the Montana Senate on Thursday dumped a proposal that would have required people convicted of homosexual acts to register with police, and one of its supporters apologized.
On a voice vote without debate, the Senate bowed to overwhelming public criticism and deleted the provision from a sex-offender registration bill. Only a day earlier, the same body passed it 41 to 8.
The bill would have required anybody convicted of a homosexual act, as well as convicted rapists or child molesters, to register.
The Senate retreat followed a deluge of criticism from people across the nation.
The measure was in some ways symbolic--homosexual sex between consenting adults is a crime in Montana, but people on both sides of the issue said they knew of no one who has ever been prosecuted under the law.
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