The legislature passed a series of bills to reform the state’s sex offender registry to bring it into compliance with the Adam Walsh Act. At the same time they fixed one of the glaring problems with the list, that “Romeo and Juliet” relationships put someone on the list forever.
A press release from Sen. Rick Jones, who sponsored the bills, explains how the new registry works:
Senate Bills 188, 189 and 206 create a three-tiered system to differentiate between levels of offenders. The new tiered system will more adequately inform concerned residents which individuals in their community are a real threat.
Under the proposed laws, offenders convicted of tier three offenses, the most serious, would have to report four times a year and remain on the registry for life. Michigan’s current system groups all offenders together on the same list.
The measures also include a change for so-called “Romeo and Juliet” offenses that was not required by federal law.
As an example, Jones said a 17-year-old boy consensually involved with a 15-year-old girl would no longer be placed on the registry, and those who were can appeal to a judge to have their name removed.
The bills will become law as soon as they are signed by Gov. Rick Snyder.