METH REGISTRY KEEPS PUBLIC IN THE LOOP FOR PROTECTION

A methamphetamine registry that alerts the public about the presence
of a previous offender sounds like a good measure of protection but
will require the state to do more than just require registration.

House Speaker Todd Hiett and Rep. John Nance have announced plans to
seek legislation building the online database. They'll offer up a
bill when the legislature opens next month.

To some extent, the database already exists in another form. Some of
the state's court filings are online but it requires the offender's
name before one could call up previous charges and dispositions.
Cleveland County's filings are online and well-maintained.

The database envisioned by Mr. Hiett and Mr. Nance requires county
officials to send names and addresses of anyone convicted and
sentenced of manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine to state
authorities. Web users would be able to search the database by last
name or by county. It's patterned after a similar law in Tennessee.

Meth offenders who stayed clean for seven years could get their names removed.

Landlords who wanted to check out a potential tenant could use the
database so as to not expose future renters to the toxins that come
with meth labs. A clean-up costs much more than a few months rent.

Sharing public information is done all the time. Landlords in Enid
put together a list of potential tenants who had trashed rental
property. But, we also have instances that leave a lot to be desired.
The state registry for sex offenders for example. A registry is
completed, but may or may not be updated when an offender moves. As
an example, just take a look at any of the current sites and see how
many offenders are registered in multiple locations. The state's good
about getting information on there, not so good about keeping it current.

The legislators' idea sounds reasonable to us. It should work in
tandem with the new law that requires pharmacies to check drivers'
licenses when a person buys over-the-counter cold medicines that
contain meth ingredients. It's a small inconvenience to legitimate
buyers but poses a big problem for meth users and cooks.