SORA:  WORK/VOLUNTEER PROHIBITION                                                S.B. 1027 (S-2):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 1027 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Curtis Hertel, Jr.

Committee:  Judiciary

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Sex Offenders Registration Act to prohibit a person required to be registered under the Act from doing either of the following:

-- Working at, or volunteering for, an organization that serves victims of sexual assault.

-- Working or volunteering in direct contact with people under 18 years of age.

A violation would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year's imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $1,000. A second or subsequent violation would a felony punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $2,000.

"Organization that serves victims of sexual assault" would mean an office, institution, center, agency, or division or component of an agency that offers assistance to victims of sexual assault or domestic violence and their families through crisis intervention and counseling.

The bill would take effect 90 days after its enactment.

(Under the Act, individuals who are convicted of specified offenses are required to register with and report to a local law enforcement agency or State Police post.)

MCL 28.734                                                            Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill could have a negative fiscal impact on the State and local government. The prohibition in the bill could lead to more people being charged and convicted of violating the Act. More misdemeanor and felony arrests and convictions could increase resource demands on local court systems, law enforcement, community supervision, and jails and correctional facilities. For any increase in prison intakes, in the short term, the marginal cost to State government would be approximately $3,764 per prisoner per year. In the long term, if the increased intake of prisoners increased the total prisoner population enough to require the Department of Corrections to open a housing unit or an entire facility, the marginal cost to State government would be approximately $34,550 per prisoner per year. Any associated increase in fine revenue would be dedicated to public libraries.

Date Completed:  7-20-16                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  Ryan Bergan

This 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.