SPONSOR: Costlow
This bill amends provisions related to the sex offender registry so that individuals who qualify for exemption from the registry must petition the court to be exempt from registration requirements.
Currently, offenders required to register as tier III offenders on the sexual offender registry cannot file a petition to be removed from the registry and are required to register for their lifetime.
This bill adds to those required to register for their lifetime those required to register under federal law and those who are required to register as a result of an offense that was sexual in nature and committed against a minor or against an incapacitated person.
The bill requires the official in charge of a correctional facility, private jail, or mental health facility to enter an offender's registration information into the state's sex offender registration system rather than forwarding the information to the Highway Patrol and the chief law enforcement official of the county or of St. Louis City where the offender will reside upon discharge, parole, or release. If a person is currently a registered sex offender and is detained in a correctional facility, private jail, or mental health institution, the official in charge of the facility, jail, or institution must inform the chief law enforcement official of the county or of St. Louis City where the offender is registered of the offender's release. Before releasing an offender, the official in charge of a facility, jail, or institution must verify whether the offender is currently a registered sex offender and, if so, the chief law enforcement official where the offender is registered must ensure the offender's status is properly updated in the registry.
The bill also moves multiple offenses currently listed under the tier I or tier II registration requirements to the tier III registration requirements, and it adds multiple offenses to each of the tiers. All the moved offenses are sexual in nature and involve a minor as the victim.
This bill is similar to HB 1765 (2024).
Statutes affected: