Bill > HB2602

This bill amends the Arizona sex offender registration law to clarify the definition of "convicted" for the purposes of sex offender registration. Specifically, the bill defines "convicted" as including situations where a person is found guilty at trial or pleads guilty through a plea agreement process that eliminates the presumption of innocence, even if subsequent legal processes like probation before judgment or deferred prosecution prevent a final conviction. The definition explicitly excludes convictions that have been overturned on appeal or through legal processes that reestablish the presumption of innocence. The bill also renumbers some existing definitions and makes minor technical adjustments to the existing statute. The changes aim to provide more clarity about when an individual is required to register as a sex offender, ensuring that individuals who have been found guilty of qualifying offenses are still subject to registration requirements, even if their initial conviction is modified through alternative legal processes.