Sex offenders: registration.

Existing law authorizes any designated law enforcement agency, including the Department of Justice, every district attorney, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and every state or local agency expressly authorized by statute to investigate or prosecute law violators, to provide information to the public about a person who is required to register as a sex offender, as specified, when disclosing that information is necessary to ensure the public safety, based upon information available to the entity concerning that specific person. Existing law requires that community notification by way of an Internet Web site be governed by this provision and prohibits a law enforcement entity from posting on an Internet Web site any information identifying an individual as a person required to register as a sex offender, except as specified and unless there is a warrant outstanding for that person's arrest. This bill would expand the provisions described above relating to community notification regarding a registered sex offender by way of an Internet Web site to include, upon request, e-mail or other electronic notification. Existing law also authorizes a designated law enforcement entity to make available by way of an Internet Web site certain identifying information regarding a person who is required to register as a sex offender if it determines that the public disclosure of the information about a specific offender by way of the entity's Internet Web site is necessary to ensure the public safety based upon information available to the entity concerning that specific offender. Existing law provides that the information released pursuant to these provisions includes, among others, the description and license plate number of the offender's vehicle, the type of victim targeted by the offender, and relevant parole or probation conditions. This provision also prohibits the disclosure of the person's address, unless that address is already on the Department of Justice Internet Web site, as specified. Any person who uses information disclosed pursuant to these provisions to commit a felony shall be punished, in addition and consecutive to any other punishment, by a 5-year term of imprisonment in the state prison. This bill would remove the authority to provide the description and license plate number of the offender's vehicle, the type of victim targeted by the offender, and relevant parole or probation conditions, and instead would permit the release of other specified information to be provided, upon request, by e-mail or other electronic notification, including the community of residence and ZIP Code in which the person resides.