Republican lawmakers will hold hearings this week to learn more about why a panel of judges voted to free a 64-year-old offender who has admitted to committing 100 sex crimes.

A federal magistrate Wednesday ordered the creation of a task force to examine Minnesota's sex offender program in response to the filing of a class-action lawsuit by sex offenders in the state's civil commitment program. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the program, which allows the state to continue holding sex offenders beyond their prison sentences if they're regarded as dangerous.

Clarence Opheim is about to be the first patient released from the Minnesota sex-offender facility in St. Peter. He could move to a halfway-house as soon as Saturday. The convicted pedophile has spent the past 19 years in the sex-offender program. Republican leaders are concerned and don't want the 64-year-old released, even though a three-judge panel says he has completed treatment.

The new law requires that neighbors be notified if someone released from the state's sex offender treatment program moves in nearby. Previously, it only applied to offenders released from prison. Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill after it was unanimously approved by the Senate. A patient is due to be released from the treatment program next month.