Oregon Public Broadcasting

It’s been more than a year since the Washington legislature approved GPS tracking of sex offenders. But only now is Governor Chris Gregoire dipping into emergency funds to jump-start the program. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

The program will start small. Just five Level 3 sex offenders will be placed on what’s called passive GPS monitoring.

That means authorities review the offender’s whereabouts the next business day -- not in real time.

By the end of next year 150 offenders could be on GPS. Gregoire says she was spurred to action by a recommendation from her special task force on sex offenders.

Chris Gregoire: “This program is not without cost but the safety of our communities depends on tools that will allow us to keep our sex offenders from threatening the very safety of our communities.”

The estimated cost: $400,000.

The Governor’s action follows the kidnapping and murder of Zina Linnick in Tacoma this summer. It also comes amidst calls by minority Republicans in the legislature for a special session to address gaps in sex offender laws.