AN ACT Relating to compliance with federal standards for monitoring sex offenders; amending RCW 9A.44.135, 9A.44.140, 10.01.200, and 72.09.330; and reenacting and amending RCW 70.48.470.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 9A.44.135 and 1999 c 196 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) When an offender registers with the county sheriff pursuant to RCW 9A.44.130, the county sheriff shall notify the police chief or town marshal of the jurisdiction in which the offender has registered to live. If the offender registers to live in an unincorporated area of the county, the sheriff shall make reasonable attempts to verify that the offender is residing at the registered address. If the offender registers to live in an incorporated city or town, the police chief or town marshal shall make reasonable attempts to verify that the offender is residing at the registered address. Reasonable attempts at verifying an address shall include at a minimum:

(a) For offenders who have not been previously designated sexually violent predators under chapter 71.09 RCW or an equivalent procedure in another jurisdiction, each year the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction where the offender is registered to live shall send by certified mail, with return receipt requested, a nonforwardable verification form to the offender at the offender's last registered address.

(b) For offenders who have been previously designated sexually violent predators under chapter 71.09 RCW or the equivalent procedure in another jurisdiction, even if the designation has subsequently been removed, each quarter the county sheriff shall send by certified mail, with return receipt requested, a nonforwardable verification form to the offender at the offender's last registered address.

(c) The offender must sign the verification form, state on the form whether he or she still resides at the last registered address, and return the form to the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction where the offender is registered to live within ten days after receipt of the form.

(2) The chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction where the offender has registered to live shall make reasonable attempts to locate any sex offender who fails to return the verification form or who cannot be located at the registered address. If the offender fails to return the verification form or the offender is not at the last registered address, the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction where the offender has registered to live shall promptly forward this information to the county sheriff and to the Washington state patrol for inclusion in the central registry of sex offenders.

(3) When an offender notifies the county sheriff of a change to his or her residence address pursuant to RCW 9A.44.130, and the new address is in a different law enforcement jurisdiction, the county sheriff shall notify the police chief or town marshal of the jurisdiction from which the offender has moved.

Sec. 2. RCW 9A.44.140 and 1998 c 220 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 shall end:

(a) For a person convicted of a class A felony((~~, or a person convicted of any sex offense or kidnapping offense who has one or more prior conviction[s] for a sex offense or kidnapping offense:~~)) such person may only be relieved of the duty to register under subsection (3) ((~~or (4)~~)) of this section.

(b) For a person convicted of a class B felony, and the person does not have one or more prior ((~~conviction[s]~~)) convictions for a sex offense or kidnapping offense: Fifteen years after the last date of release from confinement, if any, (including full-time residential treatment) pursuant to the conviction, or entry of the judgment and sentence, if the person has spent fifteen consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any new offenses.

(c) For a person convicted of a class C felony, a violation of RCW 9.68A.090 or 9A.44.096, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to commit a class C felony, and the person does not have one or more prior ((~~conviction[s]~~)) convictions for a sex offense or kidnapping offense: Ten years after the last date of release from confinement, if any, (including full-time residential treatment) pursuant to the conviction, or entry of the judgment and sentence, if the person has spent ten consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any new offenses.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall apply equally to a person who has been found not guilty by reason of insanity under chapter 10.77 RCW of a sex offense or kidnapping offense.

(3) Any person having a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 may petition the superior court to be relieved of that duty, if the person has spent ten consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any new offenses. The petition shall be made to the court in which the petitioner was convicted of the offense that subjects him or her to the duty to register, or, in the case of convictions in other states, a foreign country, or a federal or military court, to the court in Thurston county. The prosecuting attorney of the county shall be named and served as the respondent in any such petition. The court shall consider the nature of the registrable offense committed, and the criminal and relevant noncriminal behavior of the petitioner both before and after conviction, and may consider other factors. ((~~Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section,~~)) The court may relieve the petitioner of the duty to register only if the petitioner shows, with clear and convincing evidence, that future registration of the petitioner will not serve the purposes of RCW 9A.44.130, 10.01.200, 43.43.540, 46.20.187, 70.48.470, and 72.09.330. The court shall not relieve a person of the duty to register if the person has been convicted of an offense involving sexual intercourse with a victim through the use of force or threat of serious violence, or has been convicted of an offense involving sexual intercourse with a minor under twelve years of age, or has been convicted of a sex or kidnapping offense as defined in RCW 9A.44.130 and has one or more prior convictions for such an offense, or has ever been determined to be a sexually violent predator under chapter 71.09 RCW or the equivalent procedure in another jurisdiction.

(4) An offender having a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a sex offense or kidnapping offense committed when the offender was a juvenile may petition the superior court to be relieved of that duty. The court shall consider the nature of the registrable offense committed, and the criminal and relevant noncriminal behavior of the petitioner both before and after adjudication, and may consider other factors.

(a) The court may relieve the petitioner of the duty to register for a sex offense or kidnapping offense that was committed while the petitioner was fifteen years of age or older only if the petitioner shows, with clear and convincing evidence, that future registration of the petitioner will not serve the purposes of RCW 9A.44.130, 10.01.200, 43.43.540, 46.20.187, 70.48.470, and 72.09.330.

(b) The court may relieve the petitioner of the duty to register for a sex offense or kidnapping offense that was committed while the petitioner was under the age of fifteen if the petitioner ((~~(a)~~)) (i) has not been adjudicated of any additional sex offenses or kidnapping offenses during the twenty-four months ((~~following the adjudication~~)) after completion of the petitioner's supervision by the department of social and health services or the petitioner's local community supervision for the offense giving rise to the duty to register, and ((~~(b)~~)) (ii) the petitioner proves by a preponderance of the evidence that future registration of the petitioner will not serve the purposes of RCW 9A.44.130, 10.01.200, 43.43.540, 46.20.187, 70.48.470, and 72.09.330.

This subsection shall not apply to juveniles prosecuted as adults.

(5) Unless relieved of the duty to register pursuant to this section, a violation of RCW 9A.44.130 is an ongoing offense for purposes of the statute of limitations under RCW 9A.04.080.

(6) Nothing in RCW 9.94A.220 relating to discharge of an offender shall be construed as operating to relieve the offender of his or her duty to register pursuant to RCW 9A.44.130.

Sec. 3. RCW 10.01.200 and 1997 c 113 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The court shall provide written notification to any defendant charged with a sex offense or kidnapping offense of the registration requirements of RCW 9A.44.130. Such notice shall be included on any guilty plea forms and judgment and sentence forms provided to the defendant.

(2) The court shall further notify any defendant charged with a sex offense or kidnapping offense as defined in RCW 9A.44.130 that the defendant must register in any other state in which the defendant will work or attend school, or move to, in accordance with that state's laws.

Sec. 4. RCW 70.48.470 and 1997 c 364 s 3 and 1997 c 113 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) A person having charge of a jail shall notify in writing any confined person who is in the custody of the jail for a conviction of a sex offense as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a kidnapping offense as defined in RCW 9A.44.130 of the registration requirements of RCW 9A.44.130 at the time of the inmate's release from confinement, and that the inmate must register in any other state in which the inmate will work or attend school, or move to, in accordance with that state's laws, and shall obtain written acknowledgment of such notification. The person shall also obtain from the inmate the county of the inmate's residence upon release from jail and, where applicable, the city.

(2) When a sex offender or an inmate convicted of a kidnapping offense under local government jurisdiction will reside in a county other than the county of conviction upon discharge or release, the chief law enforcement officer of the jail or his or her designee shall give notice of the inmate's discharge or release to the sheriff of the county and, where applicable, to the police chief of the city where the offender will reside.

Sec. 5. RCW 72.09.330 and 1997 c 113 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall provide written notification to an inmate convicted of a sex offense or kidnapping offense of the registration requirements of RCW 9A.44.130 and that the inmate must register in any other state in which the inmate will work or attend school, or move to, in accordance with that state's laws at the time of the inmate's release from confinement and shall receive and retain a signed acknowledgement of receipt.

(2) The department shall provide written notification to an individual convicted of a sex offense or kidnapping offense from another state of the registration requirements of RCW 9A.44.130 at the time the department accepts supervision and has legal authority of the individual under the terms and conditions of the interstate compact agreement under RCW 9.95.270.