H 8064

2026 -- H 8064
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LC005629
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  STATE  OF  RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND
  COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION
  Introduced By: Representatives Read, Noret, Corvese, Fascia, Serpa, Casey, Spears,
  Solomon, Hopkins, and Santucci
  Date Introduced: February 27, 2026
  Referred To: House Judiciary
  (Attorney General)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1SECTION 1. Section 11-37.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-37.1 entitled "Sexual
2 Offender Registration and Community Notification" is hereby amended to read as follows:
311-37.1-4. Duration of registration — Frequency of registration.
4(a) Annual registration. Any person required to register under § 11-37.1-3(a)(1), or (2), or
5 (9) shall annually register with the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the city
6 or town in which the person having the duty to register resides for a period of ten (10) years from
7 the expiration of sentence for the offense and shall verify his or her address with the agency on a
8 quarterly basis for the first two (2) years of the period unless the person has been determined to be
9 a sexually violent predator in accordance with § 11-37.1-6 or unless the person is required to
10 register for the life of that person in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.
11(b) Sexually violent predators. Any person who has been determined to be a sexually
12 violent predator in accordance with the provisions of § 11-37.1-6 shall be required to annually
13 register in person with the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the city or town
14 in which the person having the duty to register resides for the life of that person and to verify his
15 or her address on a quarterly basis for the life of that person.
16(c) Recidivists and aggravated crime offenders. Any person required to register under § 11-
17 37.1-3 and who has one or more prior convictions for any offense described in § 11-37.1-2 or has
18 been convicted of an aggravated offense as defined in § 11-37.1-2 shall annually register in person
1 with the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the city or town in which the person
2 having the duty to register resides for the life of that person and to verify his or her address on a
3 quarterly basis for the life of that person.
4(d) Nonresident workers and students. Any nonresident person required to register pursuant
5 to § 11-37.1-3(b)(1) or (2) shall annually register in person with the local law enforcement agency
6 having jurisdiction over the city or town in which the person having the duty to register is employed
7 or attends a public or private educational institution for the period of time that the person is
8 employed in Rhode Island or is attending a public or private educational institution in Rhode Island.
9(e) Initial registration; Incarcerated individuals. All persons required to register under this
10 chapter who are sentenced to a period of confinement shall perform their initial registration by
11 appearing in person at the local law enforcement agency in the city or town in which the person
12 intends to reside within twenty-four (24) hours of their release from confinement.
13(f) Initial registration; Non-incarcerated individuals. All persons required to register under
14 this chapter who are convicted in Rhode Island and who are not sentenced to serve a term of
15 incarceration or confinement shall perform their initial registration by appearing in person at the
16 local law enforcement agency in the city or town in which the person intends to reside within
17 twenty-four (24) hours of being sentenced.
18(g) Initial registration; Individuals relocating to Rhode Island. All persons required to
19 register under this chapter who are moving their residence to Rhode Island from another jurisdiction
20 shall perform their initial registration by appearing in person at the local law enforcement agency
21 in the city or town in which the person intends to reside within twenty-four (24) hours of their
22 arrival in Rhode Island.
23(h) Initial registration; Nonresident workers and students. All nonresident workers or
24 students who are required to register under this chapter shall perform their initial registration by
25 appearing in person at the local law enforcement agency in the city or town in which the person is
26 employed or is attending a public or private educational institution within twenty-four (24) hours
27 of their first day of their personal attendance at their place of employment or a public or private
28 educational institution.
29(i) Tolling provision. Where, during the period in which any person is required to register,
30 a person required to register under this chapter is incarcerated or re-incarcerated for any offense or
31 is civilly committed, the person’s registration requirements shall be tolled during the subsequent
32 incarceration, re-incarceration or commitment.
33(j) Juveniles. Any juvenile having the duty to register under subsections (b) and (c) of this
34 section shall be required to annually register in person with the local law enforcement agency
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1 having jurisdiction over the city or town in which the juvenile having the duty to register resides
2 for fifteen (15) years subsequent to the date of release from confinement or placement in the
3 community or probation for such offense or offenses and to verify his or her address on a quarterly
4 basis for said fifteen (15) years. However, if a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent under § 11-37-8.1
5 or 11-37-8.3, the court shall assess the totality of the circumstances of the offense and if the court
6 makes a finding that the conduct of the parties is criminal only because of the age of the victim, the
7 court may have discretion to order the juvenile to register as a sex offender as long as the court
8 deems it appropriate to protect the community and to rehabilitate the juvenile offender. Registration
9 shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter.
10(k) Annual registration for federal, foreign, or military offenses. Any person who is
11 required to register under this chapter due to a conviction of a federal offense, a foreign offense, or
12 a military offense shall register for the duration and frequency in the same manner as if the offense
13 were committed within Rhode Island.
14(l) Homeless persons. In addition to the other requirements of this section, a person who is
15 required to register under this chapter and is homeless shall verify their presence in the community
16 with the local law enforcement agency where they are required to register three (3) times a week
17 for the duration of their being homeless.
18SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
 RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND
  COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION
  ***
1This act would provide that violations of § 11-37.1-10 relating to failing to register as a sex
2 offender are subject to the duration and frequency of registrations pursuant to § 11-37.1-4.
3This act would take effect upon passage.
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