The Tennessee Sex Offender Registry will begin collecting new information on July 1, 2008 to be in compliance with the state’s legislation that was passed during this year’s legislative session.
Overview of Sex Offender Registry law changes:
• Sex offenders will provide electronic email addresses along with instant message, chat or any other internet communication name or identity to their registering agency (this information will NOT be available to the public)
• Sex offenders who fail to provide an address (such as the homeless) will be required to report monthly rather than quarterly or annually
• All aliases, including previous married names, are required to be reported
• Every sex offender on the Registry will provide a DNA sample (current law only requires sex offenders who committed offenses after July 1, 1998)
• There will be tighter restrictions on sex offenders spending time at schools
• Offenders, whose crime was against a minor, will not be allowed to work where the offender is in direct, unsupervised contact with a minor or operate a vehicle for the purpose of attracting minors.
Additional changes to the Sex Offender Registry will take effect January 1, 2009. At that time a physical description of the offender, text of the law describing the criminal offense, and a criminal history of the offender will be added. TBI will also set up a system where the public can register their email addresses and be notified if a sex offender moves into their area.
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