Sex offender registry; prior convictions of person. (SB1037)

Introduced By

Sen. Steve Newman (R-Forest)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Sex offender registry; prior convictions. Requires that once a person's name is placed on the sex offender registry for a qualifying conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity, the registry must list all prior known sex offense convictions that would require registration if the conviction occurred today. Under current law, convictions that occurred on or after July 1, 1994, and convictions for which the offender was incarcerated or on probation on or after July 1, 1994, are included on the registry. The bill will not add additional persons to the registry but will require pre-1994 conviction history for those who are already on the registry.

Status

01/28/2013: Failed to Pass in Committee

History

DateAction
01/08/2013Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/13 13100743D
01/08/2013Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/24/2013Impact statement from DPB (SB1037)
01/28/2013Passed by indefinitely in Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)

Comments

stephen writes:

Why is this steve Newman writing bills about sex offenders, when he should be writing bills for Guns and Drunk Drivers. Yes this will add more names to the already bloated registry, it would only take 1 simple law suit.

ACLU-VA Criminal Justice, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia is monitoring this bill that requires prior convictions to be added to existing sex offender registrations.

Mary Devoy writes:

This bill was totally unnecessary, simply resume building material. A “feel good” proposal against those we are all allowed to openly despise and shun. It’s become a morbid curiosity not a deterrent of new crimes or protecting the communities as it was claimed to do recidivism rates are the same, new sexual crime rates are the same and 9 out of 10 new sex crimes are still committed by someone already known by the victim (not a stranger) and by someone who is NOT already listed on the registry.

Not to mention this bill would have meant many, many hours being invested plus thousands maybe tens of thousands of dollars to dig up prior 1994 convictions of those already listed, monitored and controlled under the registry.

Nice to see the committee saw this bill for what it rally was and stopped it in its tracks.