SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – In the wake of a disturbing child sex abuse case that has rocked Central New York, a local lawmaker is pushing to modernize how New York classifies sex offenders.

Just over a month after 34-year-old Ryan Pontello was arrested, accused of raping a 5-year-old girl and sexually abusing two others, Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter has filed legislation to update the system used to assess sex offenders across the state.

She said the Sex Offender Risk Assessment tool, also known as SORA, is outdated.

As we’ve reported, it was signed into New York law in 1995. Assemblywoman Hunter said it’s long overdue for an update.

“This may have been good for 30 years ago,” said Hunter, “but it’s not good for where we are right now.”

A one-page tool, a dangerous loophole

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