NY State Senate Bill 2023-S6092

Senate Bill S6092

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Facilitates compliance with the sex offender registry for offenders without a registerable residence

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Mar 28, 2023	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

co-Sponsors

2023-S6092 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3414
Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§168-a, 168-b, 168-f & 168-t, Cor L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: A5191
2017-2018: A1712
2019-2020: A6117
2021-2022: A3858

2023-S6092 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Facilitates compliance with the sex offender registry for offenders without a registerable residence; defines "homeless sex offender" and "sex offender registration officer"; makes related provisions.

2023-S6092 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6092

SPONSOR: MURRAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to facilitating compli-
ance with the sex offender registry for offenders without a registerable
residence

 
PURPOSE:

To enhance laws relating to the registration of homeless sex offenders.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 168-a of the corrections law to define "home-
less sex offender" as a person required to register as a sex offender
who does not have a registerable residence.Section 168-a is also amended
to establish a sex offender registration officer in each county of the
state to collect information regarding the location of homeless sex
offenders and report such to the division for inclusion on the sex
offender registry. The sex offender registration officer will also

provide, on behalf of the division, necessary notifications to such
offenders. The sex offender registration officer may designate agents to
facilitate the collection of location information, as well as facilitate
notifications.

Section 2 amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 168-b of the
corrections law to allow that when a sex offender is homeless, the sex
offender registry shall indicate which county's sex offender registra-
tion officer is collecting information regarding this offender.Section 3
allows a sex offender registration officer to facilitate all notifica-
tions on behalf of DCJS required under section 168-a of corrections law
and allows DCJS to share registry information with any and all sex
offender registration officers.  Section 4 am ends corrections law
section 168-f to require that a home- less sex offender report to his or
her county's sex offender registration officer every 10 days and update
all registry information and provide information relevant to where he or
she has been or will be staying, including, but not limited to, any
shelters or emergency housing. This information is then forwarded by the
sex offender registration officer to DCJS for inclusion on the registry.

Section 5 establishes the penalty for a homeless offender's failure to
report as provided above is a class A misdemeanor for a first offense,
and a class E felony for each subsequent conviction.Section 6 provides
that this act shall take effect on the 90th day after it becomes law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Section 168-f of the Correction Law requires that sexual offenders
register their residence with DCJS and update local law enforcement
agencies or the division within 10 days of moving. Not only are there
homeless offenders who do not have a residence to register, and thus do
not appear on the registry, but also County Departments of Social
Services have temporarily housed homeless people at different locations
and in some cases in mobile units that are moved from community to
community, and thus the information on these offenders, if provided, is
not accurate or current.

The issue of homeless sex offenders not being included on the sex offen-
der registry was brought to light when it was learned that some County
Departments of Social Services had housed sexual offenders in temporary
emergency housing, often at various locations, and no information was
being provided to the registry as to the location of these offenders.

When first introduced, a version of this bill addressed that specific
problem. Although Governor Spitzer vetoed the measure, he did recognize
that "increasing law enforcement's ability to locate sex offenders, even
offenders who are homeless or transient, is an extremely important
goal." He instructed his staff to work with DCJS, OTDA and the Legisla-
ture on a more comprehensive solution to this problem. The result of
such discussions is this legislation that will lead to better and more
accurate information being available to law enforcement agencies and the
public about homeless and transient sex offenders.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2023-S6092 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6092
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 28, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MURRAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims,  Crime  and
   Correction
 
 AN  ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to facilitating compli-
   ance with the sex offender registry for offenders without a registera-
   ble residence

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  168-a of the correction law is amended by adding
 two new subdivisions 19 and 20 to read as follows:
   19. "HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER" MEANS A PERSON REQUIRED TO REGISTER  AS  A
 SEX  OFFENDER  WHO  DOES  NOT  HAVE  A  REGISTERABLE  RESIDENCE. FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION A REGISTERABLE RESIDENCE IS  AN  ADDRESS  WHERE
 THE SEX OFFENDER ACTUALLY RESIDES AND WHERE THE SEX OFFENDER MAY RECEIVE
 MAIL.  SHOULD  A  SEX  OFFENDER HAVE AN ADDRESS WHERE HE OR SHE ACTUALLY
 RESIDES THAT THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE DOES NOT DELIVER MAIL, BUT
 SUCH SEX OFFENDER DOES MAINTAIN A VALID POSTAL BOX TO RECEIVE HIS OR HER
 MAIL, THEN SUCH OFFENDER  SHALL  NOT  BE  CONSIDERED  HOMELESS  FOR  THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.
   20.  "SEX  OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFICER" MEANS A PERSON DESIGNATED BY
 THE COUNTY TO COLLECT INFORMATION REGARDING THE LOCATION OF HOMELESS SEX
 OFFENDERS AND REPORT SUCH TO THE  DIVISION  FOR  INCLUSION  ON  THE  SEX
 OFFENDER  REGISTRY.  THE  SEX  OFFENDER  REGISTRATION OFFICER SHALL ALSO
 PROVIDE, ON BEHALF OF THE  DIVISION,  NECESSARY  NOTIFICATIONS  TO  SUCH
 OFFENDERS.  SEX  OFFENDER  REGISTRATION OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO SHARE
 INFORMATION REGARDING THE LOCATION OF HOMELESS SEX OFFENDERS WITH  OTHER
 SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFICERS WITHIN THE STATE, AS WELL AS WITH THE
 DIVISION AND ANY AND ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PROBATION AND PAROLE.
 THE  SEX  OFFENDER  REGISTRATION OFFICER MAY DESIGNATE AGENTS, INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO A LAW  ENFORCEMENT  AGENCY  HAVING  JURISDICTION,  TO
 FACILITATE THE COLLECTION OF LOCATION INFORMATION, AS WELL AS FACILITATE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08200-01-3

 S. 6092                             2
 
 NOTIFICATIONS,  SO LONG AS INFORMATION COLLECTED BY SUCH AGENTS IS IMME-
 DIATELY FORWARDED TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFICER.
   § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 168-b of the correction
 law, as amended by chapter 67 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as
 follows:
   (a)  The  sex  offender's  name, all aliases used, date of birth, sex,
 race, height, weight, eye color, driver's license number,  home  address
 and/or  expected  place of domicile, any internet accounts with internet
 access providers belonging to such  offender  and  internet  identifiers
 that such offender uses.  IF THE SEX OFFENDER IS A HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER
 AS  DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION NINETEEN OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT-A
 OF THIS ARTICLE, THEN THE DIVISION SHALL INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION  ALONG
 WITH  WHICH  COUNTY'S  SEX  OFFENDER  REGISTRATION OFFICER IS COLLECTING
 LOCATION INFORMATION REGARDING THIS HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER.
   § 3. Section 168-b of the correction law is amended by adding two  new
 subdivisions 13 and 14 to read as follows:
   13.  FOR ANY SEX OFFENDER WHO IS A HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER AS DEFINED IN
 SUBDIVISION NINETEEN OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT-A OF THIS  ARTI-
 CLE,  THE  SEX  OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFICER OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE
 SEX OFFENDER IS LOCATED SHALL FACILITATE ALL NOTIFICATIONS  REQUIRED  BY
 THIS SECTION ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION.
   14.  THE  DIVISION IS AUTHORIZED TO MAKE ANY AND ALL INFORMATION MAIN-
 TAINED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, AVAILABLE TO ANY SEX OFFENDER REGISTRA-
 TION OFFICER WITHIN THE STATE FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE  PROVISIONS  OF
 THIS ARTICLE.
   §  4.  Section  168-f of the correction law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 7 to read as follows:
   7. IF THE SEX OFFENDER IS A HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER AS DEFINED IN SUBDI-
 VISION NINETEEN OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT-A  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,
 THE SEX OFFENDER MUST REPORT TO THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFICER IN
 THE  COUNTY  WHERE  THE  SEX OFFENDER IS LOCATED EVERY TEN CALENDAR DAYS
 UNTIL SUCH SEX OFFENDER IS NO LONGER A HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER OR NO LONG-
 ER REQUIRED TO REGISTER. WHEN THE SEX OFFENDER REPORTS HE  OR  SHE  MUST
 UPDATE  ANY INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, AS
 WELL AS INFORMATION AS TO WHERE HE OR SHE HAS HABITUALLY  BEEN  SPENDING
 THE  NIGHT  AND  ANY FURTHER INFORMATION RELEVANT TO WHERE HE OR SHE HAS
 BEEN OR WILL BE STAYING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY SHELTERS  OR
 EMERGENCY  HOUSING.  ALL REGISTRATIONS AND VERIFICATIONS REQUIRED OF THE
 SEX OFFENDER UNDER THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE PROVIDED BY  THE  HOMELESS  SEX
 OFFENDER  TO  THE  SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFICER IN THE COUNTY WHERE
 THE SEX OFFENDER IS LOCATED, OR TO THAT OFFICER'S DESIGNATED  AGENT,  TO
 BE  FORWARDED  TO  THE  DIVISION.  NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SUBDIVISION
 SHALL EXEMPT A HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER FROM ANY AND  ALL  REQUIREMENTS  TO
 APPEAR  AT  A  LAW  ENFORCEMENT AGENCY HAVING JURISDICTION. THE DIVISION
 SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR FACIL-
 ITATING REPORTING OF HOMELESS SEX OFFENDERS TO SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION
 OFFICERS, AS WELL AS FOR DISSEMINATING INFORMATION BY  THE  DIVISION  TO
 THE  HOMELESS  SEX OFFENDERS THROUGH THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION OFFI-
 CER.
   § 5. Section 168-t of the correction law, as amended by chapter 373 of
 the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
   § 168-t. Penalty. Any sex offender required to register or  to  verify
 pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  this article who fails to register or
 verify in the manner and within the time periods provided  for  in  this
 article  shall  be  guilty  of  a class E felony upon conviction for the
 first offense, and upon conviction for a second  or  subsequent  offense
 S. 6092                             3
 
 shall  be guilty of a class D felony. ANY HOMELESS SEX OFFENDER REQUIRED
 TO REPORT TO  A  SEX  OFFENDER  REGISTRATION  OFFICER  PURSUANT  TO  THE
 PROVISIONS  OF THIS ARTICLE WHO FAILS TO REPORT IN THE MANNER AND WITHIN
 THE TIME PERIODS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A CLASS
 A MISDEMEANOR UPON CONVICTION FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE, AND UPON CONVICTION
 FOR  A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE SHALL BE GUILTY OF A CLASS E FELONY.
 Any sex offender who violates the  provisions  of  section  one  hundred
 sixty-eight-v  of  this article shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor
 upon conviction for the first offense, and upon conviction for a  second
 or  subsequent  offense  shall  be  guilty of a class D felony. Any such
 failure to register or verify may also be the basis  for  revocation  of
 parole pursuant to section two hundred fifty-nine-i of the executive law
 or  the  basis  for  revocation  of  probation  pursuant to article four
 hundred ten of the criminal procedure law.
   § 6. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S6092

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Sponsored By

Dean Murray