A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to protect north carolinians by amending the sex offender registration law to provide additional notification measures designed to notify new residents of the state who are sex offenders of the duty to register in this state and to appropriate funds to implement this act.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 14‑208.8 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑208.8.  Notice of obligation to register.
(a)	At least 10 days, but not earlier than 30 days, before a person who will be subject to registration under this Article is due to be released from a penal institution, an official of the penal institution shall:
(1)	Inform the person of the person's duty to register under this Article and require the person to sign a written statement that the person was so informed or, if the person refuses to sign the statement, certify that the person was so informed;
(2)	Obtain the registration information required under G.S. 14‑208.7(b)(1), (2), (5), and (6), as well as the address where the person expects to reside upon the person's release; and
(3)	Send the Division and the sheriff of the county in which the person expects to reside the information collected in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection.
(b)	If a person who is subject to registration under this Article does not receive an active term of imprisonment, the court pronouncing sentence shall conduct, at the time of sentencing, the notification procedures specified in subsection (a) of this section.
(c)	The Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Transportation, shall provide notice of the requirement to register under this Article to each person who applies for the issuance of a drivers license, learner's permit, or instruction permit to operate a motor vehicle and to each person who applies for an identification card issued pursuant to Chapter 20 of the General Statutes.
(d)	Through press releases, public service announcements, or through other appropriate public information activities, the Department of Justice shall attempt to ensure that all sexual offenders, including those who move into this State, are informed and periodically reminded of the registration, verification, and sanctions of this Article."
SECTION 2.  Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 20‑9.3.  Notification of requirements for sex offender registration.
The Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Transportation, shall provide notice of the requirement to register under Article 27A of Chapter 14 as required by G.S. 14‑208.8."
SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year and to the Department of Justice the sum of twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year to implement this act.
SECTION 4.  Section 3 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2004, and the remainder of this act becomes effective September 1, 2004.