District: Bridgton, Harrison, Lovell, Stow and Sweden

Legislative service: Third term

Committees: Criminal Justice and Public Safety, ranking minority member

Bill record: Seven bills, three signed, two carried over, two dead

Voting record

Budget: Against

Tax reform: Against

Bear trapping ban: Against

Washington County slots at a tribal horse track: For

Stiffer seat belt law: Against

Increase term limits from 4 two-year terms to 6: Against

Talks about the sex offender registry and residency restrictions were major issues addressed by the Criminal Justice Committee, where Richard Sykes sat this session.

The committee dealt with the question of who should be on the sex offender registry. On Easter of last year, a man killed two people whose information he found on the registry. The registry, however, does not show much distinction between a 19-year-old having consensual sex with a 16-year-old and a older man brutally raping a toddler.

No change was made this session, but the committee will be working on an idea this summer to create a tiered system on the registry for offenders: Those with the least serious crimes would not be visible to the public, whereas the heinous crimes would have detailed information.

Also over the summer, the committee will work on a bill to deter those convicted of sex crimes against children from having contact with children.

The Criminal Justice Committee will also continue work this year on two bills Sykes sponsored, both by request of the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, Sykes said. One would strengthen the laws regarding distribution of child pornography, another would strengthen the laws in regard to the insanity plea by juveniles.