House approves national arsonist registry bill sponsored by Bono

[The Straight Story]

House approves national arsonist registry bill sponsored by Bono

The Press-Enterprise

The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to pass a bill that would create a national arsonist registry to help law enforcement officials track convicted firebugs.

Rep. Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs, introduced the legislation in March after discussions with area fire officials about last year's arson-caused Esperanza Fire, which killed five U.S. Forest Service firefighters as they battled to save a house near Banning.

"They told me how a central database would provide them with invaluable information in tracking arsonists, and more especially, serial arsonists," Bono remarked from the House floor before the vote.

"Although arson fires account for the majority of the fires in the United States, the arrest and conviction rate is less than 20 percent," she said.

Called the MATCH Act, an acronym for Managing Arson Through Criminal History, the bill would require convicted arsonists to report where they live, work and go to school. Unlike the Megan's Law database that tracks sex offenders, the arson registry would be accessible by only police and fire officials.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_C_bono06.4def42d.html