Congressman Flood Leads House Introduction of National Violent Offender Registry in Honor of Karly Rain Wood

Image October 1, 2026 Press Release LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – Today, Congressman Mike Flood, joined by Congressmen Don Bacon and Adrian Smith, announced the introduction of the Karly Rain Wood Act in the House of Representatives. The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Senators Pete Ricketts and Deb Fischer, would establish a violent offender registry list for repeat convictions. “In 2022, Karly Rain Wood was taken from us at just 20 years old by a four-time convicted felon while attending a birthday party in Omaha,” said Congressman Flood . “My conversation with her mother, Amber Wood, was a heartbreaking reminder that preventable tragedies like this happen far too often across America. That’s why I am introducing the House companion to the Karly Rain Wood Act , which requires people convicted of two or more violent crimes to be listed on a public registry similar to the sex offender registry. With greater transparency and awareness, we can help reduce the number of repeat violent offenders and honor Karly Rain Wood’s legacy.” “Nebraskans deserve to know when repeat violent offenders are released into their community. A national violent offender registry is necessary to keep the public and law enforcement informed. The Karly Rain Wood Act would establish this vital record. Thank you to Representative Flood for introducing this important legislation in the House," said Senator Ricketts. “ Everyone deserves to feel safe while living the Good Life here in Nebraska,” said Congressman Bacon. “The murder of Karly Rain Wood was a heartbreaking tragedy, and her family has shown tremendous strength in turning that loss into a mission to help protect others. The Karly Rain Wood Act will give families and law enforcement better information about repeat violent offenders in their communities. I’m pleased to join Reps. Flood and Smith on this commonsense effort to honor Karly’s memory and help keep Nebraska families safe.” "Americans deserve access to the information they need to stay safe in their own communities. Following the horrific murder of Karly Rain Wood by a repeat violent offender, it is clear more needs to be done. That is why I joined my Nebraska colleagues in introducing this commonsense legislation to create a national violent offender registry, honor Karly Rain Wood's life, and equip every American with the information they need to stay safe," said Congressman Smith. “I thank Rep. Flood for introducing this important legislation in the House. Karly Rain Wood’s death was a tragedy, and we have a chance to help prevent these heinous crimes before they happen. I look forward to working with the Nebraska delegation to get this done for Karly and provide transparency for communities across the country,” said Senator Fischer. “The Karly Rain Wood Act gives law enforcement the tools to track repeat violent felons and stop them before they strike again,” Sarpy County Sheriff Greg London said . “I'm grateful to Senators Ricketts and Fischer for leading this effort in the Senate, and to Congressmen Flood, Bacon, and Smith for introducing this bill in the House. I urge Congress to pass it without delay to carry forward Karly's legacy and to keep our communities safe.” The Karly Rain Wood Act would establish a national system to register and track repeat violent felons, with the registry being a public website searchable by ZIP code or geographic area. Repeat violent felons would be required to register where they live, work, or attend school, verify their information in person every 90 days, and keep their registration current for life. The bill would also strengthen information sharing with law enforcement and relevant community organizations while providing federal grants and support to help jurisdictions implement the new system. Congressman Flood recently met with the mother of Karly Rain Wood, Amber Wood, in his Lincoln Office. They discussed Karly Rain Wood as well as the need for a national violent crime registry. Photos of the meeting can be found by clicking here . A one-pager of the bill can by found here . Read more about Karly Rain Wood by clicking here . You can find the bill text of the Karly Rain Wood Act by clicking here . Issues : What Rep. Flood is doing in Congress