The bill seeks to implement recommendations from the sex offender policy board by amending the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) to clarify penalties for failure to register as a sex offender. It establishes that failure to register is a class C felony for individuals with a duty to register under specific conditions, while it is a gross misdemeanor for those with a duty to register for non-felony offenses. The bill removes previous language that differentiated penalties based on the number of prior offenses, streamlining the classification. Additionally, it introduces a new section addressing failure to register as a kidnapping offender, emphasizing that violations of registration requirements are ongoing offenses, which impacts the statute of limitations.

Moreover, the bill revises definitions and classifications of various offenses, particularly focusing on sexual and violent crimes, and introduces new terms related to community supervision and electronic monitoring. It mandates a two-year community custody sentence for individuals convicted of a second or subsequent violation of failure to register as a sex offender and specifies an 18-month community custody term for certain violent offenses. The bill also expands the criteria for supervision by the Department of Corrections to include offenders with current convictions for failure to register, and it requires the development of individual reentry plans for incarcerated individuals. Overall, the bill aims to enhance public safety and improve compliance with registration laws while facilitating the successful reintegration of offenders into the community.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 9A.44.132, 9A.44.140, 9.94A.030, 9A.44.144, 9.94A.701, 9A.20.021
Substitute Bill: 9A.44.132, 9A.04.080, 9.94A.030, 9.94A.701, 9A.20.021, 9.94A.501, 9.94A.717