Introduced by Rep. James Lower R-Greenville on March 17, 2020
To revise the state’s public sexual offender registry law in response to a court ruling that banned enforcing new registrations, restrictions and requirements on individual registrants if these were not in force when the individual was required to register. Official Text and Analysis.
Referred to the House Judiciary Committee on March 17, 2020
Reported in the House on December 1, 2020
With the recommendation that the substitute (H-5) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
To revise the state’s public sexual offender registry law in response to a court ruling that banned enforcing new registrations, restrictions and requirements on individual registrants if these were not in force when the individual was required to register. The bill would repeal provisions prohibiting a registrant from living, working or loitering in a “student safety zone,” which had been invalidated by a federal court. It would also expand or revise many of the items registrants must report including phone numbers, email addresses, vehicle registrations, temporary housing changes and more. Certain information that is not currently required to be on the public sex offender registry website would be required, such as the license plate of any vehicle used by a registrant, but information on an individual’s offense level (“tier”) would no longer be posted.