PHOENIX -- Legislation that would help law enforcement agencies keep tabs on registered sex offenders online and in public records strikes an appropriate balance between civil liberties and public safety, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said Wednesday.

"We have a right to know what they're up to. We have a right to track them," Thomas said.

Thomas and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio spoke at a news conference after a state House committee endorsed one bill that would force Arizona's 14,000 registered sex offenders to report their online identities and another bill that would engage a private company to help track offenders through public records.

"Anything we can do to fight anyone who preys on our young children, I'm all for," Arpaio said.

HB 2734, sponsored by Rep. Bob Robson, R-Chandler, would require registered sex offenders to disclose their e-mail addresses, instant messaging and chat room names and any other online identities, such as MySpace usernames.

HB 2723, sponsored by Rep. Sam Crump, R-Anthem, would allow the state to contract with a private company such as Lexis-Nexis to help law enforcement track sex offenders through public records. Crump said the bill would allow the state to utilize software to merge commercial and law enforcement databases.

Both bills passed through the House Natural Resources and Public Safety Committee on 9-0 votes.

"The Internet has become a very dangerous place for young people over the last few years," Peter Gentala, a spokesman for the Center for Arizona Policy, told the panel.

Gentala spoke in favor of Robson's bill, which he called "a tremendous opportunity for Arizona to take the lead in protecting children online."

Rep. Ray Barnes, R-Phoenix, voted for both bills but said he'd like to see even stronger legislation to track sex offenders, such as satellite-monitoring systems.

"I think we’re taking a piece of pie crust and not even getting into the pie," Barnes said. "I think we ought to go all the way, identify where these people are (and) make sure they stay there. If they move out of that place, we've got them."