Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown) joined his Assembly minority colleagues at a press conference in Albany today to call on Speaker Sheldon Silver and the Assembly majority to make the extension of sex offender registration requirements the first order of legislative business in 2006.

“The thought of more than 3,500 Level 1 and 2 sex offenders, by the end of 2006, not having to be a part of New York’s Sex Offender Registry puts the safety of New Yorkers at risk and will severely limit the tools avaible to local law enforcement,” said Fitzpatrick.

The 10-year registration mandate for certain Level 1 and 2 sex offenders ends on January 21. Information about nearly 170 of the sex offenders will be dropped from the registry on that date; by the end of 2006, more than 3,500 sex offenders could be freed from registering.

Megan’s Law took effect Jan. 21, 1996. The Sex Offender Registry is a provision within the law.