[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1322 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1322

   To require States to make certain information regarding sexually 
             violent predators accessible on the Internet.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2003

  Mr. Schumer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require States to make certain information regarding sexually 
             violent predators accessible on the Internet.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sexual Offender Parental 
Notification Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE JACOB WETTERLING CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN AND 
              SEXUALLY VIOLENT OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT.

    Section 170101(e) of subtitle A of title XVII of the Violent Crime 
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14071(e)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``The'' and inserting 
        ``In general.--The''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Accessibility of information.--The State or any 
        agency authorized by the State shall--
                    ``(A) notify members or organizations of the 
                community vulnerable to persons required to register 
                under this section of relevant information concerning 
                such persons that is necessary to protect the public, 
                provided that the state or any agency authorized by the 
                State shall retain discretion to determine the 
                community members or organizations to be notified, and 
                the manner of notification;
                    ``(B) except as provided in subparagraph (C), make 
                relevant information that is necessary to protect the 
                public, including the name of the offender, address of 
                the offender, photograph of the offender, crime of 
                conviction, sentence imposed, age and gender of the 
                victim, description of the offense and modus operandi, 
                and special conditions imposed on the offender, 
                accessible on an Internet registry website that is free 
                of charge and is designed to ensure the privacy, 
                confidentiality, and anonymity of users, so long as 
                such accessibility is consistent with the laws of that 
                State; and
                    ``(C) not release--
                            ``(i) the identity of a victim of an 
                        offense that requires registration under this 
                        section; or
                            ``(ii) the age of the victim if the age 
                        would identify that victim.''.

SEC. 3. CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 109A of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 2249. Access of sex offender Internet registry with intent to 
              commit an act of violence
    ``(a) Offense.--It shall be unlawful for any individual to 
intentionally access a sex offender Internet registry for the purpose 
of obtaining information which the individual then uses to facilitate, 
commit, or aid in the commission of an act of violence or other crime 
against an offender listed in the Internet registry.
    ``(b) Penalty.--Any individual who violates subsection (a) shall be 
fined in accordance with this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 
years, or both.
    ``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term `sex offender Internet 
registry' means the Internet registry made accessible by a State in 
accordance with section 170101(e)(2) of subtitle A of title XVII of the 
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 
14071(e)(2)).''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 109A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``2249. Access of sex offender Internet registry with intent to commit 
                            an act of violence.''.

SEC. 4. COSTS OF COMPLIANCE.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance 
shall award a grant to each State to offset costs directly associated 
with complying with section 170101(e)(2) of the Violent Crime Control 
and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, as amended by this Act.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2006 
to carry out the provisions under subsection (a).
                                 <all>