OLYMPIA…State Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, won full legislative approval of his bill to tighten the grip on registered sex offenders today.

As it passed the Senate, Benton’s measure, Substitute Senate Bill 6519, required Level III sex offenders to check in with the local sheriff’s office every 90 days for life. The House of Representatives amended the measure to include Level II sex offenders. Offenders are assigned a level based on an assessment of their risk of re-offending.

“I am fine with this House amendment,” Benton said. “We need to track these people so we know where they are and they know we are watching them.”

The House also changed a provision in the bill relating to how long an offender must check in every 90 days. In the original bill, the check-in time expired after five years if the offender reported without failure as required.

“The House didn’t want an automatic expiration, therefore they changed the bill so that after five years, an offender may file a petition in superior court to be released from the 90-day reporting requirement,” Benton said. “Again, I am fine with this. I think the House made a better, tougher bill and I thank them for it. This shows the process here still works.”

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For more information contact Penny Drost
at (360) 786-7522
or penny.drost@leg.wa.gov