By: The Associated Press
02/19/2008

AUSTIN - Normally get-tough Texas lawmakers are among scores of state officials and victim's advocates blasting a new federal law they said is unfairly harsh on some of the youngest sex offenders.
    
Criticism of a national sex offender Web site that would require juveniles as young as 14 to register is mounting as states face a July 2009 deadline to enact provisions of the bill signed by President Bush.

States that do not comply risk losing millions of dollars in criminal justice funding, but the law's no-exceptions scope for some young offenders is giving many Texas officials pause.

"We think our laws are strong enough," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, a Plano Republican and a leading advocate of sex offender registration laws in Texas.

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