Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
A bill to extend the amount of time that a perpetrator remains on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry was passed out of the House Criminal Justice full Committee this week via a voice vote.
House Bill 1617 (HB1617) is sponsored by Rep. Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) and the corresponding Senate Bill 2630 is sponsored by Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon-District 17).
Current state law requires that a person classified as a “sexual offender” be listed on Tennessee’s Sex Offender Registry for at least ten years after their criminal sentence is completed.
The original version of HB1617 would have extended this minimum period of time on the registry to at least fifteen years for offenders convicted of “sexual offense or violent sexual offense.”
As amended, this legislation focuses on increasing that minimum to fifteen years specifically for offenders convicted of “aggravated statutory rape.”
“It’s really to target those individuals that are predators, that are going out and seeking somebody that’s significantly younger, that’s minors,” Rep. Richey said in committee on Tuesday, explaining that he had worked with Chairman Bud Hulsey (R-Kingsport-District 2), the attorney general and state district attorneys to refine this legislation.
According to Rep. Richey, one of the primary factors in aggravated statutory rape is a 10 year or greater age gap between the perpetrator and the minor victim.
“Right now in code, individuals that commit these crimes against minors twelve and under are on [the registry] for life,” he told committee members, “but we still have situations to where we’ve got somebody who’s thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…to where [offenders are] going out and targeting those individuals and if there’s an age difference of ten years or greater this would apply to them.”
Democrat Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis-District 93) asked if there would still be some sort of pathway for an offender to eventually come off the registry.
Rep. Richey responded saying that after fifteen years of being on the registry, these offending individuals would be eligible to petition the court to come off the registry.
“We worked with the attorney general. This is post facto,” Rep. Richey added. “So, it’s not anybody who’s currently on trial or anything else. […] Once this becomes law it would apply to anybody that commits the crime after that fact.”
The committee then held a voice vote and recommended HB1617 for passage with the amendment attached to it.
HB1617 will go on to be considered by the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee, and action on the corresponding SB2630 has been deferred to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s final calendar.
Anyone who would like to express support for this legislation is encouraged to contact subcommittee members using the contact information below prior to their meeting date (not yet scheduled upon publication of this article).
rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov, rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov, rep.karen.campter@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov, rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov, rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov, rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.