A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to Clarify the procedure for satellite‑based monitoring of sex offenders and to make other changes to the sex offender laws.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 14‑208.40 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑208.40.  Establishment of program; creation of guidelines; duties.
(a)	The Department of Correction shall establish a sex offender monitoring program that uses a continuous satellite‑based monitoring system and shall create guidelines to govern the program. The program shall be designed to monitor two categories of offenders as follows:
(1)	Any offender who is convicted of a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4) and who is required to register under Part 3 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes because the defendant is classified as a sexually violent predator, is a recidivist, or was convicted of an aggravated offense as those terms are defined in G.S. 14‑208.6. 
(2)	Any offender who satisfies all of the following criteria:  (i) is convicted of a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4), (ii) is required to register under Part 2 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes, (iii) has committed an offense involving the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, and (iv) based on the Department's risk assessment program requires the highest possible level of supervision and monitoring. 
(b)	In developing the guidelines for the program, the Department shall require that any offender who is enrolled in the satellite‑based program submit to an active continuous satellite‑based monitoring program, unless an active program will not work as provided by this section. If the Department determines that an active program will not work as provided by this section, then the Department shall require that the defendant submit to a passive continuous satellite‑based program that works within the technological or geographical limitations.
(c)	The satellite‑based monitoring program shall use a system that provides all of the following:
(1)	Time‑correlated and continuous tracking of the geographic location of the subject using a global positioning system based on satellite and other location tracking technology.
(2)	Reporting of subject's violations of prescriptive and proscriptive schedule or location requirements. Frequency of reporting may range from once a day (passive) to near real‑time (active).
(d)	The Department may contract with a single vendor for the hardware services needed to monitor subject offenders and correlate their movements to reported crime incidents. The contract may provide for services necessary to implement or facilitate any of the provisions of this Part."
SECTION 2.  Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 14‑208.40A.  Determination of satellite‑based monitoring requirement by court.
(a)	When an offender is convicted of a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4), during the sentencing phase, the district attorney shall present to the court any evidence that (i) the offender has been classified as a sexually violent predator pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.20, (ii) the offender is a recidivist, (iii) the conviction offense was an aggravated offense, or (iv) the offense involved the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor. The district attorney shall have no discretion to withhold any evidence required to be submitted to the court pursuant to this subsection.
The offender shall be allowed to present to the court any evidence that the district attorney's evidence is not correct.
(b)	After receipt of the evidence from the parties, the court shall determine whether the offender's conviction places the offender in one of the categories described in G.S. 14‑208.40(a), and if so, shall make a finding of fact of that determination, specifying whether (i) the offender has been classified as a sexually violent predator pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.20, (ii) the offender is a recidivist, (iii) the conviction offense was an aggravated offense, or (iv) the offense involved the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor.
(c)	If the court finds that the offender has been classified as a sexually violent predator, is a recidivist, or has committed an aggravated offense, the court shall order the offender to enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program for life.
(d)	If the court finds that the offender committed an offense that involved the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, that offense is not an aggravated offense, and the offender is not a recidivist, the court shall order that the Department do a risk assessment of the offender. The Department shall have a minimum of 30 days, but not more than 60 days, to complete the risk assessment of the offender and report the results to the court.
(e)	Upon receipt of a risk assessment from the Department pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the court shall determine whether, based on the Department's risk assessment, the offender requires the highest possible level of supervision and monitoring. If the court determines that the offender does require the highest possible level of supervision and monitoring, the court shall order the offender to enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program for a period of time to be specified by the court."
SECTION 3.  Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 14‑208.40B.  Determination of satellite‑based monitoring requirement in certain circumstances.
(a)	When an offender is convicted of a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4), and there has been no determination by a court on whether the offender shall be required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring, the Department shall make an initial determination on whether the offender falls into one of the categories described in G.S. 14‑208.40(a).
(b)	If the Department determines that the offender falls into one of the categories described in G.S. 14‑208.40(a), the Department shall schedule a hearing in the court of the county in which the offender resides. The Department shall notify the offender of the Department's determination and the date of the scheduled hearing by certified mail sent to the address provided by the offender pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.7. The hearing shall be scheduled no sooner than 15 days from the date the notification is mailed. Receipt of notification shall be presumed to be the date indicated by the certified mail receipt.
(c)	At the hearing, the court shall determine if the offender falls into one of the categories described in G.S. 14‑208.40(a). The court shall hold the hearing and make findings of fact pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A.
If the court finds that (i) the offender has been classified as a sexually violent predator pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.20, (ii) the offender is a recidivist, or (iii) the conviction offense was an aggravated offense, the court shall order the offender to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring for life.
If the court finds that the offender committed an offense that involved the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, that offense is not an aggravated offense, and the offender is not a recidivist, the court shall order that the Department do a risk assessment of the offender. The Department shall have a minimum of 30 days, but not more than 60 days, to complete the risk assessment of the offender and report the results to the court. The Department may use a risk assessment of the offender done within six months of the date of the hearing.
Upon receipt of a risk assessment from the Department, the court shall determine whether, based on the Department's risk assessment, the offender requires the highest possible level of supervision and monitoring. If the court determines that the offender does require the highest possible level of supervision and monitoring, the court shall order the offender to enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program for a period of time to be specified by the court."
SECTION 4.  Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 14‑208.40C.  Requirements of enrollment.
(a)	Any offender required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A or G.S. 14‑208.40B who receives an active sentence shall be enrolled and receive the appropriate equipment immediately upon the offender's release from the Division of Prisons.
(b)	Any offender required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A or G.S. 14‑208.40B who receives an intermediate punishment shall, immediately upon sentencing, report to the Division of Community Corrections for enrollment in the satellite‑based monitoring program, and, if necessary, shall return at any time designated by that Division to receive the appropriate equipment. If the intermediate sentence includes a required period of imprisonment, the offender shall not be required to be enrolled in the satellite‑based monitoring program during the period of imprisonment.
(c)	Any offender required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A  or G.S. 14‑208.40B who receives a community punishment shall, immediately upon sentencing, report to the Division of Community Corrections for enrollment in the satellite‑based monitoring program, and, if necessary, shall return at any time designated by that Division to receive the appropriate equipment."
SECTION 5.   G.S. 14‑208.42 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑208.42.  Offenders required to submit to satellite‑based monitoring required to cooperate with Department upon completion of sentence.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when an offender is required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A or G.S. 14‑208.40B, upon completion of the offender's sentence and any term of parole, post‑release supervision, intermediate punishment, or supervised probation that follows the sentence, the offender shall continue to be enrolled in the satellite‑based monitoring program for the period required by G.S. 14‑208.40A or G.S. 14‑208.40B unless the requirement that the person enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program is terminated pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.43.
The Department shall have the authority to have contact with the offender at the offender's residence or to require the offender to appear at a specific location as needed for the purpose of enrollment, to receive monitoring equipment, to have equipment examined or maintained, and for any other purpose necessary to complete the requirements of the satellite‑based monitoring program. The offender shall cooperate with the Department and the requirements of the satellite‑based monitoring program until the offender's requirement to enroll is terminated and the offender has returned all monitoring equipment to the Department."
SECTION 6.  G.S. 14‑208.44 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑208.44.  Failure to enroll; tampering with device.
(a)	Any person required to enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program who fails to enroll shall be guilty of a Class F felony.
(b)	Any person who intentionally tampers with, removes, vandalizes, or otherwise interferes with the proper functioning of a device issued pursuant to a satellite‑based monitoring program to a person duly enrolled in the program shall be guilty of a Class E felony.
(c)	Any person required to enroll in a satellite-based monitoring program who fails to provide necessary information to the Department, or fails to cooperate with the Department's guidelines and regulations for the program shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(d)	For purposes of this section, 'enroll' shall include appearing, as directed by the Department, to receive the necessary equipment."
SECTION 7.  G.S. 15A‑1343(b2) reads as rewritten:
"(b2)	Special Conditions of Probation for Sex Offenders and Persons Convicted of Offenses Involving Physical, Mental, or Sexual Abuse of a Minor. – As special conditions of probation, a defendant who has been convicted of an offense which is a reportable conviction as defined in G.S. 14‑208.6(4), or which involves the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, must:
(1)	Register as required by G.S. 14‑208.7 if the offense is a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4).
(2)	Participate in such evaluation and treatment as is necessary to complete a prescribed course of psychiatric, psychological, or other rehabilitative treatment as ordered by the court.
(3)	Not communicate with, be in the presence of, or found in or on the premises of the victim of the offense.
(4)	Not reside in a household with any minor child if the offense is one in which there is evidence of sexual abuse of a minor.
(5)	Not reside in a household with any minor child if the offense is one in which there is evidence of physical or mental abuse of a minor, unless the court expressly finds that it is unlikely that the defendant's harmful or abusive conduct will recur and that it would be in the minor child's best interest to allow the probationer to reside in the same household with a minor child.
(6)	Satisfy any other conditions determined by the court to be reasonably related to his rehabilitation.
(7)	Submit to satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to Part 5 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes, if the defendant is described by G.S. 14‑208.40(a)(1).
(8)	Submit to satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to Part 5 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes, if the defendant is in the category described by G.S. 14‑208.40(a)(2), and the Department of Correction, based on the Department's risk assessment program, recommends that the defendant submit to the highest possible level of supervision and monitoring.
(9)	Submit at reasonable times to warrantless searches by a probation officer of the probationer's person and of the probationer's vehicle and premises while the probationer is present, for purposes specified by the court and reasonably related to the probation supervision, but the probationer may not be required to submit to any other search that would otherwise be unlawful. For purposes of this subdivision, warrantless searches of the probationer's computer or other electronic mechanism which may contain electronic data shall be considered reasonably related to the probation supervision. Whenever the warrantless search consists of testing for the presence of illegal drugs, the probationer may also be required to reimburse the Department of Correction for the actual cost of drug screening and drug testing, if the results are positive.
Defendants subject to the provisions of this subsection shall not be placed on unsupervised probation."
SECTION 8.  G.S. 15A‑1374(b)(11) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Appropriate Conditions. – As conditions of parole, the Commission may require that the parolee comply with one or more of the following conditions:
…
(11)	Submit at reasonable times to warrantless searches by a parole officer of the parolee's person and of the parolee's vehicle and premises while the parolee is present, for purposes reasonably related to the parole supervision. The Commission may not require as a condition of parole that the parolee submit to any other searches that would otherwise be unlawful. If the parolee has been convicted of an offense which is a reportable conviction as defined in G.S. 14‑208.6(4), or which involves the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, warrantless searches of the parolee's computer or other electronic mechanism which may contain electronic data shall be considered reasonably related to the parole supervision. Whenever the search consists of testing for the presence of illegal drugs, the parolee may also be required to reimburse the Department of Correction for the actual cost of drug testing and drug screening, if the results are positive."
SECTION 9.  G.S. 15A‑1368.4(b1) reads as rewritten:
"(b1)	Additional Required Conditions for Sex Offenders and Persons Convicted of Offenses Involving Physical, Mental, or Sexual Abuse of a Minor. – In addition to the required condition set forth in subsection (b) of this section, for a supervisee who has been convicted of an offense which is a reportable conviction as defined in G.S. 14‑208.6(4), or which involves the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, controlling conditions, violations of which may result in revocation of post‑release supervision, are:
(1)	Register as required by G.S. 14‑208.7 if the offense is a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4).
(2)	Participate in such evaluation and treatment as is necessary to complete a prescribed course of psychiatric, psychological, or other rehabilitative treatment as ordered by the Commission.
(3)	Not communicate with, be in the presence of, or found in or on the premises of the victim of the offense.
(4)	Not reside in a household with any minor child if the offense is one in which there is evidence of sexual abuse of a minor.
(5)	Not reside in a household with any minor child if the offense is one in which there is evidence of physical or mental abuse of a minor, unless a court of competent jurisdiction expressly finds that it is unlikely that the defendant's harmful or abusive conduct will recur and that it would be in the child's best interest to allow the supervisee to reside in the same household with a minor child.
(6)	Submit to satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to Part 5 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes, if the offense is a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4) and the supervisee is in the category described by G.S. 14‑208.40(a)(1).
(7)	Submit to satellite‑based monitoring pursuant to Part 5 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes, if the offense is a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4) and the supervisee is in the category described by G.S. 14‑208.40(a)(2).
(8)	Submit at reasonable times to warrantless searches by a post‑release supervision officer of the supervisee's person and of the supervisee's vehicle and premises while the supervisee is present, for purposes reasonably related to the post‑release supervision, but the supervisee may not be required to submit to any other search that would otherwise be unlawful. For purposes of this subdivision, warrantless searches of the supervisee's computer or other electronic mechanism which may contain electronic data shall be considered reasonably related to the post‑release supervision. Whenever the warrantless search consists of testing for the presence of illegal drugs, the supervisee may also be required to reimburse the Department of Correction for the actual cost of drug screening and drug testing, if the results are positive."
SECTION 10.  G.S. 14‑208.16(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	Changes in the ownership of or use of property within 1,000 feet of a registrant's registered address that occur after a registrant establishes residency at the registered address shall not form the basis for finding that an offender is in violation of this section. For purposes of this subsection, a residence is established when the registrant does any of the following:
(1)	Purchases the residence or enters into a specifically enforceable contract to purchase the residence.
(2)	Enters into a written lease contract for the residence and for as long as the person is lawfully entitled to remain on the premises.
(3)	Resides with an immediate family member who established residence in accordance with this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "immediate family member" means a child or sibling who is 18 years of age or older, or a parent, grandparent, legal guardian, or spouse of the registrant."
SECTION 11.  G.S. 14‑208.43 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(d1)	Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the Commission is notified by the Department of Correction that the offender has been released, pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.12A, from the requirement to register under Part 2 of Article 27A of this Chapter, upon request of the offender, the Commission shall order the termination of the monitoring requirement."
SECTION 12.  G.S. 14‑208.45 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑208.45.  Fees.
(a)	Except as provided in subsections (b) and (b1) of this section, each person required to enroll pursuant to this Part shall pay a one‑time fee of ninety dollars ($90.00). The fee shall be payable to the clerk of superior court, and the fees shall be remitted quarterly to the Department of Correction. This fee is intended to offset only the costs associated with the time‑correlated tracking of the geographic location of subjects using the location tracking crime correlation system. 
(b)	When a court determines a person is required to enroll pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A, the court may exempt a person from paying the fee required by subsection (a) of this section only for good cause and upon motion of the person required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring. The court may require that the fee be paid in advance or in a lump sum or sums, and a probation officer may require payment by those methods.
(c)	When a person is required to enroll based on a determination by the Department pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40B, the Department shall have the authority to exempt the person from paying the fee only for good cause and upon request of the person required to enroll in satellite‑based monitoring. The Department may require that the fee be paid in advance or in a lump sum or sums and a probation officer may require payment by those methods. 
		"
SECTION 13.  G.S. 14‑208.41 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑208.41.  Enrollment in satellite‑based monitoring programs mandatory; length of enrollment.
(a)	Any person described by G.S. 14‑208.40(a)(1) shall enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program with the Division of Community Corrections office in the county where the person resides. The person shall remain enrolled in the satellite‑based monitoring program for the registration period imposed under G.S. 14‑208.23 which is the person's life, unless the requirement to enroll in the satellite‑based monitoring program is terminated pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.43.
(b)	Any person described by G.S. 14‑208.40(a)(2) who is ordered by the court pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40A or required by the Department pursuant to G.S. 14‑208.40B to enroll in a satellite‑based monitoring program shall do so with the Division of Community Corrections office in the county where the person resides. The person shall remain enrolled in the satellite‑based monitoring program for the period of time ordered by the court or the period of time specified by the Department."
SECTION 14.  G.S. 143B‑266(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	The Commission may accept and review requests from persons placed on probation, parole, or post‑release supervision to terminate a mandatory condition of satellite‑based monitoring as provided by G.S. 14‑208.43. The Commission may grant or deny those requests in compliance with G.S. 14‑208.43."
SECTION 15.  Section 2 of this act becomes effective December 1, 2007, and applies to sentences entered on or after that date. Section 6 of this act becomes effective December 1, 2007, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date. Sections 7, 8, and 9 of this act become effective December 1, 2007, and apply to persons placed on probation, parole, or post‑release supervision on or after that date. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.