HARRISBURG -- Lawmakers are considering bringing "Jessica's Law," named for the 9-year-old Florida girl who was molested and murdered, to Pennsylvania.

The legislation, which is also being considered by New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, would increase penalties for convicted sex offenders and require live tracking when they are released from prison.

Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, choked back tears at a news conference at the Capitol yesterday as he spoke on behalf of the legislation.

"Five months ago, my daughter was taken from her bed, across the street, repeatedly raped for three days and then she was buried alive," said an emotional Lunsford. "These are not the kind of things that are supposed to happen to our children."

Sen. Jane C. Orie, R-McCandless, is introducing the legislation with Sen. John Rafferty, R-Montgomery, as part of a child safety package. She said she expects to move the bills in the fall session.

The legislation would require that:

Offenders be sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison, then wear tracking system devices for life.

Second-time offenders receive life imprisonment.

The child protection zone around schools, child care centers and playground extend 5,000 feet, and violating the restricted zone be a third-degree felony.

Harboring a sex offender be a third-degree felony.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed similar legislation into law in May after the incident, which involved a repeat sex-offender.

"It's an alarm system to them that in Pennsylvania we do not tolerate sex offenders," said Orie, a former Allegheny County prosecutor. "If you come to Pennsylvania to prey on children, we are waiting with sentences, and it will be two strikes for life, you're never out again."

Sex offenders have a national recidivism rate of about 70 percent over four years, compared with a rate of about 46 percent over three years for all felonies in the state, according to Orie.

"In too many cases, the perpetrator is a pathological sexual predator," said Rafferty at the news conference. "He's committed it over and over and over again. And each time he commits it, his offense becomes worse.

"They are dangerous, they are a threat and they are going to re-offend."

The legislation's proposed tracking device would be a Global Positioning System that uses existing satellites to locate a subject within three to five meters. The system, which consists of a 3-inch-by-4-inch black box with a digital screen that attaches to a belt or purse and a corresponding ankle bracelet, could be leased by the state for about $9 a day.

Pennsylvania had about 7,100 registered sex offenders as of December, 92 of whom are considered "sexually violent predators," according to Megan's Law, which is based on a crime that occurred in New Jersey.