SB350: Sex offenders; list of offenses to include communications system.

SENATE BILL NO. 350
Offered January 11, 2006
Prefiled January 11, 2006
A BILL to amend and reenact § 9.1-902 of the Code of Virginia, relating to addition to the list of offenses requiring registration as a sex offender.
Patron-- Howell

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 9.1-902 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 9.1-902. Offenses requiring registration.

A. For purposes of this chapter:

"Offense for which registration is required" means:

1. A violation or attempted violation of § 18.2-63, 18.2-64.1, former § 18.2-67.2:1, § 18.2-90 with the intent to commit rape, § 18.2-374.1, 18.2-374.3 or subsection D of § 18.2-374.1:1; or a third or subsequent conviction of (i) § 18.2-67.4, (ii) subsection C of § 18.2-67.5 or (iii) § 18.2-386.1;

2. Where the victim is a minor or is physically helpless or mentally incapacitated as defined in § 18.2-67.10, a violation or attempted violation of subsection A of § 18.2-47, clause (i) or (iii) of § 18.2-48, § 18.2-67.4, subsection C of § 18.2-67.5, § 18.2-361, or 18.2-366, or clause (iv) of subsection B of § 18.2-374.3;

3. A violation of Chapter 117 (18 U.S.C. § 2421 et seq.) of Title 18 of the United States Code;

4. A "sexually violent offense"; or

5. Murder pursuant to § 18.2-31 or 18.2-32 where the victim is a minor.

"Sexually violent offense" means a violation or attempted violation of:

1. Clause (ii) of § 18.2-48, § 18.2-61, 18.2-67.1, 18.2-67.2, 18.2-67.3, § 18.2-67.4 where the perpetrator is 18 years of age or older and the victim is under the age of six, subsections A and B of § 18.2-67.5, § 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or 18.2-374.1; or

2. Sections 18.2-63, 18.2-64.1, former § 18.2-67.2:1, § 18.2-90 with the intent to commit rape or, where the victim is a minor or is physically helpless or mentally incapacitated as defined in § 18.2-67.10, a violation or attempted violation of subsection A of § 18.2-47, § 18.2-67.4, subsection C of § 18.2-67.5, clause (i) or (iii) of § 18.2-48, § 18.2-361, or 18.2-366, or 18.2-374.1. An offense listed under this subdivision shall be deemed a sexually violent offense only if the person has been convicted or adjudicated delinquent of any two or more such offenses, provided that person had been at liberty between such convictions or adjudications.

B. "Offense for which registration is required" and "sexually violent offense" shall also include any similar offense under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof and any offense for which registration in a sex offender and crimes against minors registry is required under the laws of the political subdivision where the offender was convicted.

C. Juveniles adjudicated delinquent shall not be required to register; however, where the offender is a juvenile over the age of 13 at the time of the offense who is tried as a juvenile and is adjudicated delinquent of any offense enumerated in subdivisions A 1 through A 4 on or after July 1, 2005, the court may, in its discretion and upon motion of the attorney for the Commonwealth, find that the circumstances of the offense require offender registration. In making its determination, the court shall consider all of the following factors that are relevant to the case: (i) the degree to which the delinquent act was committed with the use of force, threat or intimidation, (ii) the age and maturity of the complaining witness, (iii) the age and maturity of the offender, (iv) the difference in the ages of the complaining witness and the offender, (v) the nature of the relationship between the complaining witness and the offender, (vi) the offender's prior criminal history, and (vii) any other aggravating or mitigating factors relevant to the case.

2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $9,016 for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and is $0 for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.