These measures, designed to provide law enforcement with more updated information on sex offenders to protect the public were passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Janet Napolitano this session; the measure requiring GPS devices (SB 1371) became law immediately when signed on June 22, 2006; the others, listed below, are effective today.
"These measures are stronger tools to protect the community by tracking sex offenders," said Governor Napolitano. "Our State agencies are positioned to implement from day one, and we have been working with local law enforcement to enforce them at the local level."
A synopsis of the laws and actions taken:
- SB 1371 -- Requires Level 3 sex offenders, the most dangerous type, to wear GPS ankle bracelets that provide law enforcement with next-day data on offenders' whereabouts
- SB 1229 -- Sex offenders without a physical address will now be required to register every 90 days, rather than annually
- SB 1471 -- Nullifies immunity from prosecution for sex offenders who commit crimes, then seek immunity by conferring with their court-ordered therapists before victims have an opportunity to report the crimes to authorities
- SB 1230 -- To enable law enforcement to more easily verify address and other information on sex offenders, the MVD will provide daily information updates to DPS. MVD has already begun implementing the system that will transmit the data to DPS on a day-to-day basis. This measure also:
- Requires out-of-state offenders to provide DNA samples to local authorities
- Waives the need for law enforcement to obtain a search warrant to arrest sex offenders who have absconded by failing to provide their current addresses to DPS
- Allows law enforcement agencies to arrest absconders regardless of their whereabouts
