HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2680

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                         Corrections

Title:  An act relating to registration of sex offenders.

Brief Description:  Increasing the penalty in certain cases for failing to register as a sex offender.

Sponsors:  Representatives Conway, Ballasiotes, Scheuerman, Costa, Linville, Patterson, Hatfield, Ogden, Chopp, Mason and Scott.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Corrections:  1/26/96, 1/30/96 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Blanton, Vice Chairman; Sherstad, Vice Chairman; Quall, Ranking Minority Member; Tokuda, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cole; Dickerson; Koster; Radcliff; Schoesler and D. Sommers.

Staff:  Rick Neidhardt (786-7841).

Background:  A sex offender must register with the county sheriff within 24 hours of being released from confinement.  The offender must also notify the sheriff within 10 days of changing his or her residential address.

The crime of failing to register or notify the county sheriff in a timely fashion is either a Class C felony or a gross misdemeanor, depending on the seriousness of the offender's sex offense.  The crime is a Class C felony if the underlying sex offense was a Class A felony, and is a gross misdemeanor for all other sex offenses.

Summary of Bill:  The crime of failing to register as a sex offender or to notify the county sheriff in a  timely fashion is made a Class C felony in all cases, regardless of the seriousness of underlying sex offense.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:   Increasing the penalty will deter future criminal activity.  The committee passed this measure out last year as part of another bill. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Steve Conway, prime sponsor.