On Jan. 26, Megan Thee Stallion set the world on fire with a new single titled “HISS,” a hard-hitting effort that effectively kicked off a war on wax with Nicki Minaj. On the aforementioned cut, the Houston talent delivers a line that mentions an important federal statute. “These h**s don’t be mad at Megan, these h**s mad at Megan’s Law,” she rapped.

So, what is Megan’s Law (Pub.L. 104-145)? In short, it’s a federal law that requires law enforcement authorities to provide any and all information to the public regarding sex offenders. It was enacted in the mid-’90s along with several others, including the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act (Pub.L. 103-322), the Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act of 1996 (Pub.L. 104-236), the Protection of Children From Sexual Predators Act of 1998 (Pub.L. 105–314), and the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act (Pub.L. 106-386), among many others. Before 1994, there was no federal law governing sex offender registration and notification in the United States.

Prior to the creation of Megan’s Law, the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act only made information about sex offenders available to law enforcement, and authorities would only share that information with the public when deemed necessary. That was the case until Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old from New Jersey, was raped and murdered in 1994 by her neighbor, 36-year-old Jesse K. Timmendequas, who had two prior child molestation offenses on his record.

As a result, Kanka’s parents, Richard and Maureen Kanka, fought to have the law changed. To them, not only was the Jacob Wetterling Act insufficient, but they argued that their daughter would also be alive if they were informed of Timmendequas’ past criminal history. Richard and Maureen’s efforts eventually proved to be successful, as the state of New Jersey enacted Megan’s Law months after the senseless death. Federal legislation eventually followed, and former President Bill Clinton amended the Jacob Wetterling Act to include the bill in 1996. Many other states within the country added Megan’s Law to their constitutions.

“I know we made an impact,” Maureen said to the New York Daily News in 2014. “I hope it was enough. It was the best that we were able to do, let’s put it that way… I just hope it was enough for some kids.”

In 2016, former President Barack Obama took things a step further by signing the International Megan’s Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders (Pub.L. 114-119). In summary, this allows foreign governments to be notified when a United States registered sex offender travels to their country via an identifier placed on their passports. Offenders are also required to notify law enforcement 21 days before traveling abroad.

In all of its different forms, Megan’s Law has received some criticism. In 2013, the Women Against Registry told the Riverfront Times that it invites vigilantism. In that same year, the Human Rights Watch published an article on the dangers of placing children on sex offender registries. In 2015, California Reform Sex Offender Laws filed a lawsuit against the International Megan’s Law. That lawsuit was later dismissed in San Francisco, as the judge deemed it “premature” (the passport provision hadn’t yet been implemented) and ruled that it didn’t state any valid constitutional claims.