FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Thursday, January 25, 2018

CONTACT:  Sara Rabern (605) 773-3215 

PIERRE, S.D. - Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms the Attorney General sponsored bill that would improve South Dakota’s Sex Offender Registry has unanimously passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning. 

“South Dakota’s Sex Offender Registry exceeds national standards, partners with our Reservation communities, and protects our children,” said Jackley. “Today, the Senate Judiciary has taken the first step in strengthening the requirements for sex offender registration and to provide enhancement for habitual registration violations.”

In 2010, the South Dakota Legislature worked with law enforcement to revise and strengthen South Dakota’s Sex Offender Registry.  Under South Dakota law, any person convicted of a listed sex crime is required to register as a sex offender.  The proposed amendment seeks to continue to strengthen South Dakota’s Registry and 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.  It 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 $10,000.

South Dakota was the fourth registry in the nation to be certified and has a compliance rate of 98.5 percent with 3,616 registered sex offenders.

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