In 1994, the Wyoming Legislature passed the Wyoming Sex Offenders Registration Act and made its application retroactive to most sex offenders of children convicted since 1985. The district court ruled the Act was constitutional and denied Snyder's second petition on May 17, 1995. This appeal followed. In 1994, Wyoming joined the majority of other states in enacting legislation concerning sex offender registration. Presently, thirty-nine states require certain convicted sex offenders to register.
Some states notify communities of the presence of a sex offender under certain circumstances.
Wyoming's Act does not have a community notification feature and permits dissemination of the registration only to those already authorized by statute to receive criminal history information. Under the Act, a sex offender who must register is any person who has been convicted of certain felony sex offenses in which the victim was less than sixteen years of age and the offender was at least four years older than the victim, and that conviction occurred after January 1, 1985. Those offenders are to register with the county sheriff for their county of residence. The duty to register terminates after ten years for those convicted of a sex offense other than first or second degree sexual assault or a court order can discharge the duty. Appropriate agencies are required to notify offenders in writing of the duty to register.