Provides that any person who knowingly harbors, houses or employs a defaulting sex offender and who fails to contact law enforcement regarding the offender is guilty of a class A misdemeanor

Title of bill

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to knowingly harboring a sex offender who has failed to register or verify

Summary of provisions

Section 1 adds a new subdivision 168-ii that provides that any person who knowingly harbors, houses or employs a sex offender required to register or verify residence or employment pursuant to Section 168 of the Corrections Law, who has failed to register or verify as required by law, and fails to notify his or her local law enforcement agency as to the location of such offender, shall be guilty of an A misdemeanor.

Section 2 provides that the act shall take effect on sixtieth day after it shall become law.

Justification

Article 6-C of the Corrections Law provides for registration of convicted sex offenders and there are already laws in place to punish a convicted sex offender for failing to register. This bill aims to establish a punishment for those who knowing harbors, houses or employs a sex offender who has failed to register. The bill also criminalizes the failure to notify local law enforcement to the location of the unregistered offender. Obligating people to notify authorities of a non-registered sex offender and outlawing the harboring of such offenders is beneficial to the law enforcement process and helps eliminate current hurdles faced by authorities.

Prior legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall become law.