CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – A New Hampshire lawmaker says peeing in public exposes a flaw in the law.

Strange as it sounds, Democratic Rep. Stephen Shurtleff says making public urination a separate crime could really help people out.

Currently, there is no state law specifically addressing public urination; it’s prosecuted under a patchwork of local and state laws, indecent exposure among them.

Shurtleff says because indecent exposure is a sex offense, multiple convictions could land habitual public urinators on a sex offender registry, a penalty he feels is too severe for the crime.

“I think some of the stigma attached to that is greater than the offense,” he said. “It’s public urination and they should be charged with it.”

A member of the House Judiciary Committee, Shurtleff, of Concord, is working to rewrite New Hampshire’s sex offender laws to comply with new federal law. Under federal law, those convicted of indecent exposure twice in three years would be forced to register as sex offenders.

Shurtleff said in the upcoming legislative session he will push for a law making public urination a misdemeanor.

AP-ES-09-30-07 1520EDT