18 PA Cons Stat § 4915.1 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES|Chapter 49 - Falsification and Intimidation|Section 4915.1 - Failure to comply with registration requirements

§ 4915.1. Failure to comply with registration requirements. (a) Offense defined.--An individual who is subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 (relating to applicability) commits an offense if he knowingly fails to:  (1) register with the Pennsylvania State Police as required under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15 (relating to period of registration), 9799.19 (relating to initial registration) or 9799.25 (relating to verification by sexual offenders and Pennsylvania State Police);  (2) verify his address or be photographed as required under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15, 9799.19 or 9799.25; or  (3) provide accurate information when registering under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15, 9799.19 or 9799.25.  (a.1) Transients.--An individual set forth in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 who is a transient commits an offense if he knowingly fails to:  (1) register with the Pennsylvania State Police as required under 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9799.15, 9799.16(b)(6) (relating to registry) and 9799.25(a)(7);  (2) verify the information provided in 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9799.15 and 9799.16(b)(6) or be photographed as required under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15 or 9799.25;  (3) provide accurate information when registering under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15, 9799.16(b)(6) or 9799.25.  (a.2) Counseling.--The following apply:  (1) An individual who is designated as a sexually violent predator or sexually violent delinquent child commits an offense if he knowingly fails to comply with 42 Pa.C.S. § 6404.2(g) (relating to duration of outpatient commitment and review) or 9799.36 (relating to counseling of sexually violent predators).  (2) An individual who is subject to a counseling requirement under a sex offender registration statute following conviction in another jurisdiction where the requirement is based on the commitment of an offense on or after December 20, 2012, for which the individual was convicted, commits an offense if the individual knowingly fails to comply with 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.36.  (b) Grading for sexual offenders who must register for 15 years or who must register pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13(7.1).-- (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (3), an individual who commits a violation of subsection (a)(1) or (2) commits a felony of the third degree.  (2) An individual who commits a violation of subsection (a)(1) or (2) and who has previously been convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(1) or (2) or (a.1)(1) or (2) or a similar offense commits a felony of the second degree.  (3) An individual who violates subsection (a)(3) commits a felony of the second degree. (4) For the purposes of this subsection, an individual shall mean an individual that meets any of the following:  (i) Is a sexual offender subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 and is required to register for a period of 15 years.  (ii) Is a sexual offender subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13(7.1). (c) Grading for sexual offenders who must register for 25 years or life.-- (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (3), an individual subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 and required to register for a period of 25 years or life who commits a violation of subsection (a)(1) or (2) commits a felony of the second degree.  (2) An individual subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 and required to register for a period of 25 years or life who commits a violation of subsection (a)(1) or (2) and who has previously been convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(1) or (2) or (a.1)(1) or (2) or a similar offense commits a felony of the first degree.  (3) An individual subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 and required to register for a period of 25 years or life who violates subsection (a)(3) commits a felony of the first degree.  (c.1) Grading for sexual offenders who are transients who must register for 15 years.-- (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2) or (3), an individual commits a felony of the third degree if the individual violates subsection (a.1)(1) or (2).  (2) An individual commits a felony of the second degree if the individual violates subsection (a.1)(3).  (3) An individual commits a felony of the second degree if the individual violates subsection (a.1)(1) or (2) and has been previously convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(1) or (2) or (a.1)(1) or (2) or a similar offense.  (4) For the purposes of this subsection, an individual shall mean an individual that meets any of the following:  (i) Is a sexual offender subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 and is a transient who must register for a period of 15 years.  (ii) Is a sexual offender subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13(7.1) and is a transient.  (c.2) Grading for sexual offenders who are transients who must register for 25 years or life.-- (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2) or (3), an individual subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 who is a transient who must register for a period of 25 years or life commits a felony of the second degree if the individual violates subsection (a.1)(1) or (2).  (2) An individual who is subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 who is a transient who must register for a period of 25 years or life commits a felony of the first degree if the individual violates subsection (a.1)(3).  (3) An individual subject to registration under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.13 who is a transient who must register for a period of 25 years or life commits a felony of the first degree if the individual violates subsection (a.1)(1) or (2) and has been previously convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(1) or (2) or (a.1)(1) or (2) or a similar offense.  (c.3) Grading for failure to comply with counseling requirements.--An individual designated as a sexually violent predator or sexually violent delinquent child or an individual who is subject to a counseling requirement under a sex offender registration statute following conviction of a sexual offense on or after December 20, 2012, in another jurisdiction commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if the individual violates subsection (a.2).  (d) Effect of notice.--Neither failure on the part of the Pennsylvania State Police to send nor failure of a sexually violent predator or sexual offender to receive any notice or information pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.25 shall be a defense to a prosecution commenced against an individual arising from a violation of this section. The provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.25 are not an element of an offense under this section.  (e) Arrests for violation.-- (1) A police officer shall have the same right of arrest without a warrant as in a felony whenever the police officer has probable cause to believe an individual has committed a violation of this section regardless of whether the violation occurred in the presence of the police officer.  (2) An individual arrested for a violation of this section shall be afforded a preliminary arraignment by the proper issuing authority without unnecessary delay. In no case may the individual be released from custody without first having appeared before the issuing authority.  (3) Prior to admitting an individual arrested for a violation of this section to bail, the issuing authority shall require all of the following:  (i) The individual must be fingerprinted and photographed in the manner required by 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 Subch. H (relating to registration of sexual offenders).  (ii) The individual must provide the Pennsylvania State Police with all current or intended residences, all information concerning current or intended employment, including all employment locations, and all information concerning current or intended enrollment as a student. This subparagraph includes an individual who is a transient, in which case the individual must, in addition to other information required under this subparagraph, provide the information set forth in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.16(b)(6).  (iii) Law enforcement must make reasonable attempts to verify the information provided by the individual.  (e.1) Affirmative defense.--It is an affirmative defense for a prosecution under this section that the individual acted in accordance with a court order under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15(a.2).  (f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:  "Sexual offender." The term shall have the meaning given to it in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions).  "Sexually violent delinquent child." The term shall have the meaning given to it in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions).  "Sexually violent predator." The term shall have the meaning given to it in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions).  "Similar offense." An offense similar to an offense under either subsection (a)(1) or (2) under the laws of this Commonwealth, another jurisdiction or a foreign country or a military offense, as defined in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions).  "Transient." The term shall have the meaning given to it in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions).  (Dec. 20, 2011, P.L.446, No.111, eff. one year; July 5, 2012, P.L.880, No.91, eff. Dec. 20, 2012; Feb. 21, 2018, P.L.27, No.10, eff. imd.; June 12, 2018, P.L.140, No.29, eff. imd.)    2018 Amendments. Act 10 amended subsecs. (a.2)(2), (b)(4), (c.1)(4), (c.3) and (d) and added subsec. (e.1) and the def. of "sexual offender" in subsec. (f) and Act 29 reenacted subsecs. (a.2)(2), (b)(4), (c.1)(4), (c.3), (d), (e.1) and (f). Section 20(1) of Act 10 provided that the amendment of section 4915.1 shall apply to an individual who commits an offense on or after December 20, 2012. Section 21(1) of Act 29 provided that the reenactment or amendment of section 4915.1 shall apply to an individual who commits an offense on or after December 20, 2012.  2012 Amendment. Act 91 amended subsecs. (b) and (c.1).  2011 Amendment. Act 111 added section 4915.1.  Cross References. Section 4915.1 is referred to in sections 9122.1, 9122.3 of this title; sections 6404.2, 9718.4, 9799.15, 9799.21, 9799.25, 9799.36 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure).