Tuesday, March 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- A bill requiring chemical castration for repeat child molesters has unanimously cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee.
State prison and mental health officials say they are trying to determine how many people might be affected by the legislation. Dr. Carlos Brandenburg, director of the state Division of Mental Hygiene and Mental Retardation, said Senate Bill 101 may apply retroactively.
Brandenburg said a person found to be a repeated child sexual offender would have to come in for a weekly shot. And he would be required to get counseling.
In California, which enacted a chemical castration law, Brandenburg said there's no requirement for counseling.
Committee Chairman Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said there would be a court hearing before any offender would be required to get the injections. And there would be psychiatric and other testimony before a judge, who would make the final decision on whether the individual was a threat to commit the same crime again.
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