Texas is one of five states to shun a national sex offender registry created in 2006, citing cost concerns. According to officials, it would take an estimated $38 million to modify the state's existing registry program. Therefore, the state is willing to risk losing about $1.4 million in grant money to help local agencies enforce the law, they say. Members of the state Senate Criminal Justice Committee made the decision to not participate in the registry following an interim meeting. Local law enforcement officials have testified that complying with the program would add more sex offenders to the state's already extensive registry. About 70,000 sex offenders were registered in Texas as of August, according to the state Department of Criminal Justice.