Target 11 investigates new restrictions for registered sex...

None — PITTSBURGH -- Later this year, Pennsylvania State Police will unveil sweeping new changes to keep better tabs on sex offenders. It's a controversial measure called the Adam Walsh Act, named for the young boy who was kidnapped and murdered in Florida in 1981.

Residents we spoke we said they welcome the new guidelines.

"I don't want them around. I want to know if they are around my house," said Karin Macejovsky of Carrick.

"Everybody should have to register. Everybody has the right to know," said Kim Berry of Mckees Rocks, home to more than a dozen registered sex offenders.

Among the changes, registered sex offenders will be required to provide police with much more information, including a DNA sample. They also must notify police when they shave or change their appearance, and they're required to notify police when they move in or out of state.

The new law also closes a big loophole that allowed out-of-state offenders to move into Pennsylvania without telling authorities.

"It's a deterrent for any of these transient offenders to come to Pennsylvania and I think that's what it does, it puts the flag up. We're going to aggressively pursue you, don't come to Pennsylvania," said State Senator Jane Orie, R-Mccandless, who sponsored the legislation.

But critics told Target 11 Investigator Rick Earle that the legislation goes too far. For example, they contend, that a person convicted of a sex offender 25 years ago, who commits a crime today, not even a sex offense, would be required to register as a sex offender.

"How does it protect citizens when somebody who had a sex offense 25 years ago, has been a model citizen and picks up a DUI and all of the sudden has to register as a sex offender," said American Civil Liberties Union Pittsburgh Director Vic Walczak.

Another controversial feature requires juveniles convicted of a sex offense to register for 25 years.

"How does it improve our safety when you take a 16-year-old kid whose brain is not fully developed, who does something stupid, illegal, but stupid and now it is going to be subjected to sex offender registry laws and treated like a sex offender for the rest of his or her life. How are they ever going to get his or her act together," said Walczak.

And then there's the cost. New York and Texas have already said it's way too expensive, and they will lose federal funding rather than comply. Walczak said it's going to be a costly venture in Pennsylvania.

"The prison population is going to sky rocket, and it's one of the largest budgeted items we have right now. Citizens should be asking do we want to foot this bill and does it really make us a lot safer" said Walczak

"Frankly I think that is bogus," said Orie.

But Orie told Target 11 that the cost issue has been overblown. She said the federal government will help with some of the initial start up fees. Orie said the state would have lost more than a million dollars in federal funding if it failed to comply with the new standards. She contends that the cost will be minimal, but well worth it.

"When you look at what this will prevent in the long run we can't afford not to do something like this in Pennsylvania," said Orie.

The new law will be implemented later this year. And while both sides disagree on the legislation, they both agree that it will likely face several legal challenges in the near future.