2016 -- S 2319

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND

COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lombardi, Gallo, and McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 11-37.1 of the General Laws entitled "Sexual Offender Registration

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and Community Notification" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     11-37.1-21. Duty of shelters and homeless shelters to notify law enforcement of the

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presence of sex offenders. -- (a) Any person convicted of any offense that requires sex offender

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registration pursuant to this title or otherwise has a duty to register their address with the law

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enforcement agency in the municipality in which they reside, shall be required, if said sex

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offender is homeless, to provide their name and date of birth with any shelter or homeless shelter

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at which they may stay from time to time.

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     (b) The obligation of the sex offender to provide the information required in subsection

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(a) of this section, shall be on a continuing daily and nightly basis and they shall provide said

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information to each shelter or homeless shelter at which they take up temporary residence

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regardless of the length of time they stay at such shelter.

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     (c) Any employee of any shelter or homeless shelter that receives information from such

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sex offender shall be required to transmit that information to the local law enforcement agency

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and if there be none, to the closest Rhode Island state police barracks within one hour of the

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offender registering or signing in for the day, night or any portion of a day.

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     (d) Any employee of any shelter or homeless shelter that violates the provisions of this

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chapter shall be punished upon conviction by imprisonment of up to five (5) years and/or a fine of

 

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up to five thousand dollars ($5000).

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     (e) Any sex offender who fails to disclose information as required by this chapter shall be

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subject to the same penalties as set forth in ยง11-37.1-10.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND

COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION

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     This act would provide that sex offenders register their presence with any homeless

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shelter at which they may temporarily stay and would provide that said shelters notify the local

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law enforcement agency of the presence of said offenders within one hour of the offender signing

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in for any portion of the day or night.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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