Dayton gets bill to close sex offender loophole

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Senate has sent Gov. Mark Dayton a bill to close a loophole in state sex offender law in response to the upcoming release of a convicted child molester into a halfway house.

Current state law requires community notification when a sex offender moves into a community, but not if that person moves into a halfway house. The bill widens the notification requirement to cover any "residence facility."

Dayton has said he would support the legislation. The Senate approved it unanimously on Thursday. It passed overwhelmingly in the House on Monday and will become law immediately after Dayton signs it.

Convicted sex offender Clarence Opheim is expected to be released from the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in March. He will continue treatment and will stay under state supervision.