The state of Vermont could lose up to $35,000 in federal funding if it doesn’t expand its online sex offender registry.
But state officials say the change could cost up to $3 million in additional legal fees.
Under the 2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act seeks to unify Internet registry standards across all 50 states.
In Vermont that could mean adding 2,000 names to the list.
Vermont reserves its Internet registry for the more serious sex offenders.
But the Adam Walsh Act would require all of the state’s 2,400 offenders to be listed online.
Vermont prosecutors and defense attorneys argue the expanded registry would make offenders less likely to reach plea deals, driving up legal fees.