Title: An act relating to clarifying the effect of retroactive registration requirements on sex offenders convicted in Washington who leave and then return to the state.

Brief Description: Clarifying the effect of retroactive registration requirements on sex offenders convicted in Washington who leave and then return to the state.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens, Benton, Carrell, Regala, Benson and Pflug.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Human Services & Corrections: 1/19/06, 2/1/06 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6144 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Regala, Vice Chair; Stevens, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Carrell, McAuliffe and Thibaudeau.

Staff: Kiki Keizer (786-7430)

Background: In 1990, the Legislature enacted the Community Protection Act, which created one of the first sex offender registration laws in the country. A person convicted of a sex or kidnapping offense must register with the county sheriff of the county in which he or she lives. The person subject to the registration requirements must provide such information as his or her name, address, date and place of birth, place of employment, crime of conviction, date and place of conviction, aliases, Social Security number, photograph, and fingerprints. He or she must also notify the county sheriff if he or she is enrolled in public or private school or in an institution of higher education.

Summary of Substitute Bill: Compliance with the registration statute is required based upon offenses committed before 1990, instead of, in the case of offenders whose predicate offenses were committed out-of-state, on or after February 28, 1990. Compliance with registration statute is required within three business days of establishing residence in Washington by a person who is convicted of a sex offense and who enters the state to establish residence in the state.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Compliance with the registration statute is required based upon offenses committed before 1990. Compliance with registration statute is required within three business days of establishing residence in Washington by a person who is convicted of a sex offense and who enters the state to establish residence in the state. The title is amended.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: There is a loophole that allows offenders to leave the state, later to return and claim that they are no longer subject to the duty to register. That loophole must be closed. It is also difficult for law enforcement personnel to have to look at other state laws to figure out which Washington laws they are similar to for purposes of determining if registration is required when the conviction was under the laws of another state. It makes sense to require persons to register in Washington if they would have been required to register under the laws of their home state.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: David Coleman, Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.