March 23, 2006
OLYMPIA… A measure
requiring sex offenders to check in with their local sheriff’s
office every 90 days for life, prime-sponsored by Sen. Don
Benton, R-Vancouver, was signed into law on Monday (Senate Bill
6519).
“Law enforcement cannot keep an
eye on sex offenders living in our neighborhoods unless they
know where they are,” Benton said. “This new law is a critical
piece of the sex offender legislation package we approved this
year.”
Benton’s bill also allows local
police to take a photo of the offender at any time to ensure the
offender’s appearance, however it may change, is part of his
file.
Other Benton-sponsored measures
signed into law Monday include:
Senate Bill 6144 - All
out-of-state offenders, regardless of whether they once lived in
Washington when they committed their offenses, must register
with the state within three business days of establishing
residency.
Senate Bill 6319 -
clarifies that any knowing non-compliance with the registration
statute constitutes failure to register as a sex offender.
Second and subsequent convictions for the offense are ranked at
seriousness level II, which would result in a mandatory prison
term.
Senate Bill 6320 - The
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC)
must convene a sex offender model policy work group. The work
group must conduct a series of community meetings around the
state to identify best practices on registration, community
notification, and strategies for sex offender management.
Senate Bill 6406 -
Assault of a child in the second degree with sexual motivation
is added to the list of two-strikes crimes subject to a sentence
of life imprisonment without possibility of parole.
Senate Bill 6460 -
Additional time in total confinement, consecutive to all other
sentencing provisions, must be served if a conviction includes a
special verdict or judicial finding that the crime underlying
the conviction was committed with sexual motivation.
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For more
information contact Penny Drost at (360) 786-7522 or
penny.drost@leg.wa.gov |