Panel passes measure to clarify sex-offender registry

4-26-2011 Colorado:

A Senate committee today gave unanimous approval to a bill aimed at streamlining and clarifying sex offender registration.

House Bill 1278, sponsored by Sen. John Morse D-Colorado Springs, would make several changes to the law about who must register as a sex offender in Colorado, as well as clarifying the responsibilities of law enforcement and the court system in processing sex offenders.

Under current law, the state may classify a person as a "sexually violent predator" based on his or her classification outside Colorado. HB 1278 defines what classifications meet this requirement, and also gives such people the right to appeal the classification.

The bill makes second-degree kidnapping a crime requiring registration as a sex offender if the victim is sexually assaulted, and also mandates that those registered as sex offenders on Native American tribal lands register as sex offenders in Colorado as well.

"It attempts to make the law clearer," Morse said.

The bill also addresses concerns surrounding re-registration of sex offenders. Maureen Cain, an attorney testifying on behalf of the Sex Offender Task Force of the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, told the committee the task force supports the bill because it would help overcome certain obstacles to the re-registration process.

Cain said some sex offenders fail to re-register by the required date because they are in jail for other crimes, and the law enforcement agency they need to report to does not know they are jailed. HB 1278 would require the sheriff of a county jail to submit the re-registration information of any sex offenders booked into jail.

The bill would also give sex offenders a 10 day leeway for re-registration as a sex offender. Instead of re-registering on his or her birthday, the bill would allow a sex offender to re-register from five days before that date until five days after.

The bill previously earned House approval under the sponsorship of Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs. It must now win initial approval from the full Senate. ..Source.. Kyle Glazier, The Denver Post Staff Writer