The proposed legislation, known as "Maighen's Law," seeks to amend the Sex Offender Registration Act of 1997 in Arkansas. The bill introduces new criteria for lifetime registration of sex offenders, specifically adding a provision that requires lifetime registration for offenders who, at the time of their offense, were over 24 years old and the victim was under 15 years old. This addition aims to enhance the protection of minors and ensure that offenders who exploit significant age differences are subject to stricter registration requirements.

Additionally, the bill removes a previous condition that allowed for lifetime registration based on multiple failures to comply with registration and reporting requirements, specifically deleting the clause regarding offenders who have pleaded guilty or been found guilty of such failures three or more times. The overall intent of the bill is to strengthen the existing laws surrounding sex offender registration and to provide greater safeguards for vulnerable populations, particularly children.

Statutes affected:
SB 393: 12-12-919(a)
Act 362: 12-12-919(a)