Bill > H481

This bill proposes several changes to the Sex Offender Registry Board's operations and the classification of sex offenses. Specifically, it allows the board to determine that a sex offense involving a child was not committed if the victim was at least 14, the offender was no more than four years older, and the act was consensual, though any subsequent offenses would still be considered sexual offenses. The bill also expands the factors the board considers when classifying offenders to include the number and ages of victims, whether the offender was a stranger, the date of release from incarceration, details of parole or probation, points of contact for law enforcement, and internet identification. Furthermore, it prohibits sex offenders on parole or probation from intentionally creating situations where they could have unsupervised contact with children and removes the requirement for sex offenders to provide fingerprints. Finally, the bill mandates monthly audits of level 3 sex offenders' addresses and places of employment by local police, quarterly audits for level 2 offenders, and requires public housing employees to check criminal and sex offender registries; it also restricts level 2 and 3 offenders from entering facilities for children or seniors without permission and supervision, and requires them to identify themselves as sex offenders when housed in shelters.