SORA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS H.B. 4934 (H-1): COMMITTEE SUMMARY


House Bill 4934 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Richard Ball
House Committee: Judiciary
Senate Committee: Judiciary


Date Completed: 8-29-05

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) to prescribe penalties for a second, third, or subsequent offense of failure to comply with SORA's reporting requirements.


Under SORA, registrants are required to report in person to a law enforcement agency, either annually or quarterly depending on their offense, for verification of domicile or residence. Failure to comply with those requirements is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days' imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $1,000. Under the bill, a violation would be punishable as shown in the following table.



Prior SORA Convictions  
Level		  
Maximum Penalty
None Misdemeanor 93 days' and/or $1,000
One Misdemeanor 1 year and/or $2,000
Two or More Felony 4 years and/or $2,500

In addition, a person required to be registered under SORA must notify law enforcement officials within 10 days after the person changes his or her residence, domicile, or place of work or education. Under the bill, that provision would apply to changing or vacating a residence, domicile, or place of work or education.


The bill would take effect October 15, 2005.


MCL 28.725 & 28.729 Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on State and local government. There are no data to indicate how many offenders would receive increased penalties for subsequent convictions. Local units would incur the costs of misdemeanor probation and incarceration in a local facility, which vary by county. The State would incur the costs of felony probation at an average annual cost of $2,000, as well as the costs of incarceration in a State facility at an average annual cost of $28,000.

Fiscal Analyst: Bethany Wicksall

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4934/0506