A bill that would improve South Dakota’s Sex Offender Registry unanimously passed out of the House Judiciary Committee Wed. morning.
Under South Dakota law, any person convicted of a listed sex crime is required to register as a sex offender. The proposed amendment to current law seeks to keep South Dakota compliant with federal requirements and certification. The amendment clarifies the requirements for sex offenders to register. This includes more clearly defining a “community safety zone” and “school” for registration purposes.
The bill further provides an enhancement for those sex offenders that are convicted of their second and subsequent violations to become a Class 5 felony punishable by a maximum of 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $10-thousand.
South Dakota has 3,616 registered sex offenders in the state.