While many other states prohibit sex offenders from living near schools, daycare centers or other places with children, Wyoming has no such laws. The state does not even prohibit sex offenders from living in a home where children reside.

In addition, unlike many other states, Wyoming does not require individuals convicted of indecent exposure or sexual battery to register as sex offenders. Those deemed as low- and medium-risk offenders also are not listed on the state's publicly accessible website.

Wyoming's sex offender registry process also causes problems because the state lacks a standardized system for accepting convictions from other states. This means authorities must obtain court records for each sex offender in order to figure out the corresponding Wyoming crime and making a determination regarding whether an individual needs to register. With only one person in charge of such efforts, long delays are a way of life.

Afraid that the word is out among ex-convicts that Wyoming has some of the loosest restrictions on sex offenders, state legislators have rushed to tighten the laws, and their efforts have been met with little resistance.

Effective July 1, House Bill 120 will require all sex offenders to be posted on the state's website, regardless of their low-, medium- or high-risk status. Other Wyoming legislation that also goes into effect on July 1 will exact stiffer penalties on unregistered offenders and individuals that harbor, conceal or withhold information about a sex offender.

(Source: http://www.ap.org and http://www.wyomingnews.com)