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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
study committee; registered sex offenders
Purpose
An emergency measure that establishes a six-member Study Committee on Registered Sex Offenders (Study Committee) to examine the effectiveness of current Arizona laws relating to sex offender registration.
Background
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) is in Title 1 of the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA aims to, in part: 1) extend jurisdictions in which registration is required; 2) require more sex offenses for which registration is required; 3) require sex offenders to keep registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside; 4) require sec offenders to provide more information; 5) require sex offenders to make periodic in-person appearances; 6) expand the amount of information available to the pubic regarding registered sex offenders; and 7) make changes in the required minimum duration registration for sex offenders (U.S. Department of Justice).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes a six-member Study Committee consisting of three members of the Senate and three members of the House of Representatives, not more than two of which from each chamber are of the same political party, with one member appointed by the majority leader of each chamber, one member appointed by the minority leader of each chamber, and one cochairperson appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
2. Stipulates that members appointed by the majority leader and minority leader of both chambers must have the approval of the President of the Senate, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as applicable.
3. Requires the Study Committee to:
a) meet as often as the cochairpersons deem necessary and in any place that the cochairpersons deem necessary or convenient;
b) study current policies and practices of local, state and tribal law enforcement agencies and county attorneys that relate to sexual offenses;
c) examine the effectiveness of the current sex offender laws in Arizona to prevent recidivism and protect the community from further sexual offenses; and
d) examine the standards set forth in the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and Title 1 of SORNA.
4. Requires a state agency or a political subdivision to, on request of the Study Committee, to provide the Study Committee with its services, equipment, documents, personnel and facilities to the extent possible without cost to the committee.
5. Allows the Study Committee to use the services of legislative staff to provide necessary administrative and operational services.
6. Allows the Study Committee, by July 1, 2025, to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of State and the Director of the Secretary of State.
7. Repeals the Study Committee on August 1, 2025.
8. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause is enacted.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Requires members of the Study Committee appointed by the majority and minority leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives to have approval of the President or Speaker, as applicable.
2. Extends the Study Committee report deadline from December 31, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
3. Adds an emergency clause.
Senate Action
JUD 2/15/24 DP 6-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 26, 2024
ZD/cs