ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A House committee is holding a hearing to examine the provisional discharge of a man who spent nearly 19 years in the Minnesota Sex Offender Program.
    
Sixty-four-year-old Clarence Opheim is the first person to receive a court-ordered provisional discharge to be released into the community.
    
Lead Republicans expressed concern because Opheim's discharge was recently unopposed by the Department of Human Services - but less than a year ago a special review board found Opheim was still a risk.
    
But Commissioner Lucinda Jesson says new information, including the findings of an independent, court-appointed examiner, led her to withdraw her objection.
    
House Majority Leader Matt Dean says he's perplexed. He says the issue is one of public safety.
    
The House Health and Human Services Reform Committee hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.