Congress · Laws

Megan's Law

Public Law 104-145 · H.R. 2137 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on May 17, 1996 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Rep. Richard Zimmer (R-NJ-12)

Cosponsors (27): Rep. Jennifer Dunn, Rep. Nathan Deal,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 418 yea, 0 nay418–0
SenateUnanimous consent

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Megan's Law - Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to: (1) require (current law authorizes) State and local law enforcement agencies to release relevant information that is necessary to protect the public concerning persons required to register under a State registration program established under the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act; and (2) provide that any information collected under such a program may be disclosed for any purpose permitted under the laws of the State.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 104th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 418 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

418 yea0 nay15 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(188)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. Barbara-Rose CollinsD-MI-15
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-9
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-30
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-50
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-26
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Earl HilliardD-AL-7
Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-11
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-10
Rep. Carrie MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-11
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-33
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. George BrownD-CA-42
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-29
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Eva ClaytonD-NC-1
Rep. Corrine BrownD-FL-3
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. Floyd FlakeD-NY-6
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-32
Rep. Cleo FieldsD-LA-4
Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7
Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-19
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-2
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-29
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-3
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. John BryantD-TX-5
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16
Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5
Rep. Richard DurbinD-IL-20
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Elizabeth FurseD-OR-1
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-9
Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-31
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Lynn RiversD-MI-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-2
Rep. Jack ReedD-RI-2
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Thomas MantonD-NY-7
Rep. Michael WardD-KY-3
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Thomas BarrettD-WI-5
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-9
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
Rep. John BaldacciD-ME-2
Rep. Ron KlinkD-PA-4
Rep. Ken BentsenD-TX-25
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Frank MascaraD-PA-20
Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-2
Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Karen ThurmanD-FL-5
Rep. Robert TorricelliD-NJ-9
Rep. William LutherD-MN-6
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Pete PetersonD-FL-2
Rep. Paul McHaleD-PA-15
Rep. Frank TejedaD-TX-28
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. James BarciaD-MI-5
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-18
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-6
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11
Rep. Glenn PoshardD-IL-19
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Robert ClementD-TN-5
Rep. David MingeD-MN-2
Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
Rep. Pat DannerD-MO-6
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-10
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. William OrtonD-UT-3
Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Blanche LincolnD-AR-1
Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. Timothy RoemerD-IN-3
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5
Rep. Scotty BaeslerD-KY-6
Rep. Owen PickettD-VA-2
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. James TraficantD-OH-17
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-18
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5
Rep. William BrewsterD-OK-3
Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4

Republicans who voted yea(230)

Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-23
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-20
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Peter TorkildsenR-MA-6
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. Michael ForbesR-NY-1
Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-30
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-31
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Jim BunnR-OR-5
Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
Rep. Peter BluteR-MA-3
Rep. Stephen HornR-CA-38
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. William MartiniR-NJ-8
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Jon FoxR-PA-13
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-24
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-21
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-19
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Richard ZimmerR-NJ-12
Rep. Rick LazioR-NY-2
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-5
Rep. Gary FranksR-CT-5
Rep. Bob FranksR-NJ-7
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Michael FlanaganR-IL-5
Rep. Dan FrisaR-NY-4
Rep. James LongleyR-ME-1
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-40
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Frank RiggsR-CA-1
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7
Rep. Fred HeinemanR-NC-4
Rep. John EnsignR-NV-1
Rep. Brian BilbrayR-CA-49
Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Tom CampbellR-CA-15
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-21
Rep. Tillie FowlerR-FL-4
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Robert EhrlichR-MD-2
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. James LightfootR-IA-3
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Greg GanskeR-IA-4
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-11
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Scott KlugR-WI-2
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-5
Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Bill BarrettR-NE-3
Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Charles CanadyR-FL-12
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-43
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-8
Rep. Nathan DealD-GA-9
Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
Rep. H. CallahanR-AL-1
Rep. Barbara VucanovichR-NV-2
Rep. J.C. WattsR-OK-4
Rep. George NethercuttR-WA-5
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-5
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2
Rep. Sonny BonoR-CA-44
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Ron PackardR-CA-48
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-23
Rep. Jack MetcalfR-WA-2
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-7
Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Martin HokeR-OH-10
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
Rep. Frank CremeansR-OH-6
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-6
Rep. Thomas EwingR-IL-15
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-5
Rep. Saxby ChamblissR-GA-8
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1
Rep. Tim HutchinsonR-AR-3
Rep. Rick WhiteR-WA-1
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. Lindsey GrahamR-SC-3
Rep. Jay DickeyR-AR-4
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Enid Greene WaldholtzR-UT-2
Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-51
Rep. Linda SmithR-WA-3
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. William ZeliffR-NH-1
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Dan MillerR-FL-13
Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-2
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-27
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52
Rep. John LinderR-GA-4
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6
Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. James HansenR-UT-1
Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
Rep. Jay KimR-CA-41
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7
Rep. Gregory LaughlinD-TX-14
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Ed BryantR-TN-7
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-22
Rep. John KasichR-OH-12
Rep. Randy TateR-WA-9
Rep. David DreierR-CA-28
Rep. Dick ChryslerR-MI-8
Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-10
Rep. Jim TalentR-MO-2
Rep. Sam BrownbackR-KS-2
Rep. William PaxonR-NY-27
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Nick SmithR-MI-7
Rep. Mike CrapoR-ID-2
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Mac CollinsR-GA-3
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-46
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Jim BunningR-KY-4
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Van HillearyR-TN-4
Rep. Andrea SeastrandR-CA-22
Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Dan SchaeferR-CO-6
Rep. David FunderburkR-NC-2
Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-6
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Bob BarrR-GA-7
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-6
Rep. David McIntoshR-IN-2
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Wayne AllardR-CO-4
Rep. Richard ArmeyR-TX-26
Rep. Jon ChristensenR-NE-2
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6
Rep. Bob InglisR-SC-4
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. Christopher CoxR-CA-47
Rep. William BakerR-CA-10
Rep. Mark SanfordR-SC-1
Rep. Matt SalmonR-AZ-1
Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
Rep. Steve LargentR-OK-1
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-45
Rep. Mark NeumannR-WI-1
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-4
Rep. Robert StumpR-AZ-3
Rep. Helen Chenoweth-HageR-ID-1
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-39
Rep. Mel HancockR-MO-7
Rep. Wes CooleyR-OR-2
Rep. Joe ScarboroughR-FL-1
Rep. Thomas CoburnR-OK-2
Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Steve StockmanR-TX-9

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1015 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.

May 17, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-145.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
May 13, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
May 9, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
May 7, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 418 - 0 (Roll no. 149).House roll call 149
FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
FloorFloor · Mr. McCollum moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
May 6, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
Apr 24, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
Mar 21, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
Mar 7, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
Oct 2, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
Jul 27, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.