Closing a loophole in sex registration laws.

Feb 20, 2008 - The victim of a teacher who abused her 25 years ago is lobbying lawmakers to eliminate a legal loophole. When the state's sex offender registry was created in 1995, it didn't include prior convictions. The Maryland General Assembly later agreed to retroactive registration, but certain offenders, who weren't incarcerated at the time, were left out, including the teacher who abused her.

Robert Merle Haines Jr., a former Boonsboro Middle School social studies teacher, was charged in 2005 with second-degree rape and four counts of third-degree sex offense. He pleaded guilty in 2006 to one count of sexual child abuse. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with 5 1/2 years suspended. He is scheduled to be released in December.

The bill is HB 761.