As we continue our legislative efforts to help ensure children and youth residing in communities throughout our Commonwealth always remain safe, we ask that you join us in co-sponsoring legislation that would propose improvements to the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

The crime of Sexual Assault by a Sports Official, Volunteer or Employee of a Nonprofit Association (18 Pa.C.S.   3124.3) is not listed as an offense requiring sexual offender registration under SORNA, despite the fact that this offense necessarily involves the sexual abuse of a minor.

Specifically, because the crime is not listed as a Tier I, II, or III offense, a conviction for this crime does not require sexual offender registration. By way of comparison, Institutional Sexual Assault under 18 Pa.C.S.   3124.2(a.2) and (a.3) are similar in nature to Sexual Assault by a Sports Official. Yet those subsections of Institutional Sexual Assault are classified as a Tier II offenses, while Sexual Assault by a Sports Official is not classified at all.

Our legislation will help clarify the current statute by adding Sexual Assault by a Sports Official as a Tier II offense under SORNA; and again, help ensure the safety of all children residing in communities throughout Pennsylvania.

This legislation was introduced last session as SB 1317, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 13-0 and the full Senate 48-0.

We ask that you join us in co-sponsoring this legislation.
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0207: 42-9799.14(c)