FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5239

                          C 195 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Requiring any person convicted of communication with a minor to register as a sex offender.

Sponsors:  Senators Oke and Owen.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

House Committee on Corrections

Background:  All persons residing in this state who have been convicted of a sex offense are required to register with the sheriff of the county in which they reside.  The term "sex offense" includes all felony level convictions for rape, molestation, incest, and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. 

The crime of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes is a gross misdemeanor, unless the person has a prior conviction for that crime or a prior conviction for a felony sex offense.  The existence of one of these prior convictions raises the crime to a class C felony.  Without such a prior conviction, persons convicted of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes are not required to register as sex offenders.  It has been suggested that any conviction for communicating with a minor for immoral purposes should subject the offender to the sex offender registration requirements.

Summary:  For purposes of the sex offender registration statutes, the term "sex offense" includes any violation of the statute prohibiting communication with a minor for immoral purposes.  Offenders convicted of the crime of communication with a minor for immoral purposes are subject to the sex offender registration requirements for ten years.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    44 0

House     96 0 (House amended)

Senate    45 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 23, 1995