Megan's Law Implementation Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Megan's Law Implementation Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO STATES TO OFFSET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JACOB 
              WETTERLING CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN AND SEXUALLY VIOLENT 
              OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT.

    (a) In General.--Section 170101 of the Violent Crime Control and 
Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14071) is amended by--
            (1) redesignating the second subsection (g) as subsection 
        (h); and
            (2) adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) Grants to States To Comply With the Wetterling Act.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--
                    ``(i) In general.--The Director of the Bureau of 
                Justice Assistance shall award a grant to each eligible 
                State to offset costs directly associated with 
                complying with the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against 
                Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration 
                Act. Such grant program shall be known as the ``Sex 
                Offender Management Assistance Program (SOMA)''.
                    ``(ii) Uses of funds.--Grants awarded under this 
                subsection shall be--
                            ``(I) distributed directly to the State for 
                        distribution to State and local entities; and
                            ``(II) used for training, salaries, 
                        equipment, materials, and other costs directly 
                        associated with complying with the Jacob 
                        Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually 
                        Violent Offender Registration Act.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--
                    ``(i) Application.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant under this subsection, the chief executive of a 
                State shall, on an annual basis, submit an application 
                to the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (in 
                such form and containing such information as the 
                Director may reasonably require) assuring that--
                            ``(I) the State complies with (or made a 
                        good faith effort to comply with) the Jacob 
                        Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually 
                        Violent Offender Registration Act; and
                            ``(II) where applicable, the State has 
                        penalties comparable to or greater than Federal 
                        penalties for crimes listed in such Act.
                The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance may 
                waive the requirement of subclause (II) if a State 
                demonstrates an overriding need for assistance under 
                this subsection.
                    ``(ii) Regulations.--
                            ``(I) In general.--Not later than 90 days 
                        after the date of enactment of this subsection, 
                        the Director shall promulgate regulations to 
                        implement this subsection (including the 
                        information that must be included and the 
                        requirements that the States must meet) in 
                        submitting the applications required under this 
                        subsection. In allocating funds under this 
                        subsection, the Director may consider the 
                        annual number of sex offenders registered in 
                        each eligible state's monitoring and 
                        notification programs.
                            ``(II) Certain training programs.--Prior to 
                        implementing this subsection, the Director of 
                        the Bureau of Justice Assistance shall study 
                        the feasibility of incorporating into the SOMA 
                        program the activities of any technical 
                        assistance or training program established as a 
                        result of section 40152 of the Violent Crime 
                        Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public 
                        Law 103-322). In a case in which incorporating 
                        such activities into the SOMA program will 
                        eliminate duplication of efforts or 
                        administrative costs, the Director shall take 
                        administrative actions, as allowable, and make 
                        recommendations to Congress to incorporate such 
                        activities into the SOMA program prior to 
                        implementing the SOMA program.''.
    (b) Study.--The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance shall 
conduct a study to assess the efficacy of the SOMA program and submit 
recommendations to Congress not later than March 1, 2000.
    (c) Authorization for Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out subsection (i) of section 170101 of the 
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 
14211), $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 and 2000.

Summary: Megan's Law Implementation Act - Amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act to require the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to award a grant to each eligible State to offset costs directly associated with complying with the Act. Names such grant program the Sex Offender Management Assistance Program (SOMA). Directs that grants awarded be: (1) given directly to the State for distribution to State and local entities. And (2) used for training, salaries, equipment, materials, and other costs directly associated with complying with the Act. Requires a chief executive of a State, to be eligible for such a grant, to submit to the Director annually an application assuring that the State: (1) complies with such Act. And (2) has penalties comparable to or greater than Federal penalties for crimes listed in such Act. Requires the Director to conduct a study to assess the efficacy of SOMA and submit recommendations to the Congress. Authorizes appropriations.