2020 House Bill 5679 / Public Act 295

Remove retroactive restrictions from sex offender registry law and more

Introduced in the House

March 17, 2020

Introduced by Rep. James Lower (R-70)

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.

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

Dec. 1, 2020

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-5) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Dec. 2, 2020

Passed in the House 80 to 24 (details)

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.

Received in the Senate

Dec. 3, 2020

Referred to the Committee of the Whole

Dec. 16, 2020

Passed in the Senate 21 to 17 (details)

Received in the House

Dec. 16, 2020

Passed in the House 78 to 27 (details)

To concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.

Signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Dec. 29, 2020