2018 -- S 2901

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LC004663

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND

COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION

     

     Introduced By: Senator Harold M. Metts

     Date Introduced: May 17, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-37.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-37.1 entitled "Sexual

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Offender Registration and Community Notification" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-37.1-2. Definitions.

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     (a) "Aggravated offense" means, and includes, offenses involving sexual penetration of

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victims of any age through the use of force, or the threat of use of force, or offenses involving

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sexual penetration of victims who are fourteen (14) years of age or under.

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     (b) "Board", "board of review", or "sex offender board of review" means the sex offender

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board of review appointed by the governor pursuant to § 11-37.1-6.

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     (c) (1) "Conviction" or "convicted" means, and includes, any instance where:

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     (i) A judgment of conviction has been entered against any person for any offense

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specified in subsection (e) or (k), regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or

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     (ii) There has been a finding of guilty for any offense specified in subsection (e) or (k),

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regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or

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     (iii) There has been a plea of guilty or nolo contendere for any offense specified in

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subsection (e) or (k), regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or

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     (iv) There has been an admission of sufficient facts or a finding of delinquency for any

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offense specified in subsection (e) or (k), regardless of whether or not an appeal is pending but

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only if the offender is fourteen (14) years of age or older at the time of the offense, and the

 

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offense adjudicated was comparable to or more severe than aggravated sexual abuse as described

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in 18 U.S.C. § 2241, or was an attempt or conspiracy to commit such an offense.

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     (2) Provided, in the event that a conviction, as defined in this subsection, has been

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overturned, reversed, or otherwise vacated, the person who was the subject of the conviction shall

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no longer be required to register as required by this chapter and any records of a registration shall

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be destroyed. Provided, further, that nothing in this section shall be construed to eliminate a

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registration requirement of a person who is again convicted of an offense for which registration is

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required by this chapter.

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     (d) [Deleted by P.L. 2003, ch. 162, § 1 and by P.L. 2003, ch. 170, § 1].

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     (e) "Criminal offense against a victim who is a minor" means, and includes, any of the

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following offenses or any offense in another jurisdiction that is substantially the equivalent of the

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following or for which the person is or would be required to register under 42 U.S.C. § 14071 or

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18 U.S.C. § 4042(c):

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     (1) Kidnapping or false imprisonment of a minor, in violation of §§ 11-26-1.4, 11-26-1 or

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11-26-2, where the victim of the offense is sixteen (16) years of age or older and under the age of

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eighteen (18) years;

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     (2) Enticement of a child in violation of § 11-26-1.5 with the intent to violate §§ 11-37-6,

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11-37-8, 11-37-8.1, 11-37-8.3;

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     (3) Any violation of §§ 11-37-6, 11-37-8, 11-37-8.1, or 11-37-8.3;

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     (4) Any violation of § 11-1-10, where the underlying offense is a violation of chapter 34

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of this title and the victim, or person solicited to commit the offense, is under the age of eighteen

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(18) years;

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     (5) Any violation of § 11-9-1(b) or (c);

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     (6) Any violation of § 11-9-1.3;

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     (7) Any violation of § 11-9-1.5;

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     (8) Any violation of § 11-37.1-10;

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     (9) Any violation of § 11-37-8.8;

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     (10) Any violation of § 11-64-2, where the victim is under the age of eighteen (18) years;

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     (11) Murder in violation of § 11-23-1, where the murder was committed in the

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perpetration of, or attempted perpetration of, kidnapping and where the victim of the offense is

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under eighteen (18) years of age; or

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     (12) Any violation of §§ 11-67-6, 11-67.1-3(b), 11-67.1-4(b), 11-67.1-5(c), 11-67.1-6(b),

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or 11-67.1-7(b).

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     (f) "Designated state law enforcement agency" means the attorney general, or his or her

 

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designee.

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     (g) "Employed, carries on a vocation" means and includes the definition of "employed,

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carries on a vocation" under 42 U.S.C. § 14071.

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     (h) "Institutions of higher education" means any university, two- or four-year (2 or 4)

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college or community college.

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     (i) "Mental abnormality" means a congenital or acquired condition of a person that affects

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the emotional or volitional capacity of the person in a manner that predisposes that person to the

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commission of criminal sexual acts to a degree that makes the person a menace to the health and

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safety of other persons.

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     (j) "Predator" means a person whose act(s) is (are) or was (were) directed at a stranger, or

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at a person with whom a relationship has been established or promoted for the primary purpose of

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victimization.

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     (k) "Sexually violent offense" means, and includes, any violation of §§ 11-37-2, 11-37-4,

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11-37-6, 11-37-8, 11-37-8.1, 11-37-8.3, 11-67-2 (where the victim was subject to commercial

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sexual activity), 11-67-3(a), 11-67-3(b) (where the victim was subject to commercial sexual

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activity), 11-67.1-3(c) (where the victim was subject to sexual servitude), 11-67.1-5(d), 11-67.1-

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6(c); or 11-5-1, where the specified felony is sexual assault; or § 11-23-1, where the murder was

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committed in the perpetration of, or attempted perpetration of, rape or any degree of sexual

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assault or child molestation; or any offense in another jurisdiction that is substantially the

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equivalent of any offense listed in this subsection or for which the person is or would be required

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to register under 42 U.S.C. § 14071 or 18 U.S.C. § 4042(c).

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     (l) "Sexually violent predator" means a person who has been convicted of a sexually

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violent offense and who has a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person

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likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses.

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     (m) "Student" means, and includes, the definition of "student" under 42 U.S.C. § 14071.

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     (n) "Parole board" means the parole board or its designee.

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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 only those juveniles over the age of fourteen (14) be required

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to register as sex offenders and that the offense be comparable or more severe than those defined

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in 18 U.S.C. § 2241.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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