ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE

Federal Sex Offender Registration Notification Act Study Committee

Minutes of the Meeting

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Members Present:

Senator Linda Gray, CoChairman	Representative Kyrsten Sinema
Senator Leah Landrum-Taylor	Barbara Marshall
Lieutenant Laurence V. Burns	Christina Phillis
Chad L. Campbell	Charles Ryan
Carissa Hessick	Kathy Waters
Jason Holmberg represented by James Walsh	Todd Zweig
Elizabeth Houde
Scott Mabery

Members Absent:

Representative Cecil Ash, CoChairman	Vanessa Hickman
Maureen Basenberg	Don Rosenberger
Jerry Geier	Dr. Tom Selby
Dr. Steven Gray	Mary Wisdom

Staff:

Dakotah Pratt-Hewitt, Senate Assistant Judiciary Research Analyst

Garth Kamp, Senate Judiciary Research Analyst

Amber O’Dell, Senate Public Safety and Human Services Research Analyst

CoChairman Linda Gray called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. and the attendance was taken.

Presentations on Current Sex Offender Registration and Impact of Adopting SORNA  in Arizona

Staff distributed “AZSAN (Arizona Sexual Assault Network) Letter and Recommendations to the Arizona SORNA Study Committee” (Attachment A).

 Nicole Pittman, Defender Association of Philadelphia and National Juvenile Defender Center, distributed “Examining the Impact of Adopting the Federal Standards of SORNA on the State of Arizona” (Attachment B) and explained the following points:

• Fiscal analysis-cost to Arizona
• Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (AWA) and Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) requirements
• Possible opt-out
• Recommendations on SORNA Implementation
• Juvenile offenders
• Sex offender notification (current) not making community safer and is not conducive to offender reintegration into society

Kathleen Mayer, Deputy County Attorney, Pima County Attorney’s Office, discussed the following points:

• Juvenile accountability

• Sex offender recidivism and the under reporting of sex offenses

• Risk assessment tools important to police agencies
• Requested that committee recommend non-compliance with SORNA
• Discussed risk assessments for juveniles as they differ from adults

Charles Ryan, Director, Arizona Department Of Corrections (ADC), distributed “Sex Offender Registration Notification Act” (Attachment C), “November 2009 Corrections at a Glance” (Attachment D) and discussed the following points:

• Statistics on incarcerated sex offenders
• Sex offender registration and community supervision by ADC
• Frequency of offender contacts based on supervision level
• ADC registration process
• SORNA mandates and the registration of sex offenders per Arizona Revised Statutes 
• Potential impacts of requirements for SORNA on ADC
• Cost of new technology, statutory residency requirements, and costs associated with sex offenders incarcerated due to registration violations

Laurence Burns, Lieutenant, Department Of Public Safety (DPS), discussed the following points:

• Cost to agencies, particularly county sheriffs’ offices
• What DPS needs to file second extension
• Most states having problems with SORNA--especially with regard to juvenile offenders
• Arizona may resubmit state information
• Existing legislation or proposed legislation to bring Arizona into minimum compliance
• Requirements for training and technology
• Opt-out may be preemptive
• Possible recommendations and associated costs

The committee discussed the recommendations and Senator Linda Gray called for a motion.

Representative Sinema moved that the Sex Offender Registration Notification Study Committee approve Option 1C (Attachment E) to apply to the U.S. Department of Justice SMART Office for a second extension of deadline demonstrating that Arizona is currently in substantial compliance and is further assessing its compliance and that this committee be continued throughout the next year.  The motion CARRIED by voice vote.

Attached is a list noting the individuals who registered their position on the presentations (Attachment F).

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:56 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Toy Brown

Committee Secretary

(Audio recordings and attachments are on file in the Secretary of Senate’s Office/Resource Center, Room 115).

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                                                                                                            Federal Sex Offender Registration

                                                                                                               Notification Act Study Committee

                                                                                                            December 9, 2009

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