Opinion ID: 827973
Heading Depth: 2
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Heading: the sex offender registration act

Text: SORA is a conviction-based registration statute that requires individuals convicted of certain “listed offenses” to register as sex offenders.17 An offender’s registration disclosure includes information regarding where the offender lives, identifying 11 City of Taylor v Detroit Edison Co, 475 Mich 109, 115; 715 NW2d 28 (2006). 12 Drouillard v Stroh Brewery Co, 449 Mich 293, 302; 536 NW2d 530 (1995). 13 People v Francisco, 474 Mich 82, 87; 711 NW2d 44 (2006). 14 Robinson v Detroit, 462 Mich 439, 459; 613 NW2d 307 (2000). 15 Toll Northville Ltd v Northville Twp, 480 Mich 6, 10-11; 743 NW2d 902 (2008). 16 People v Hamblin, 224 Mich App 87, 91; 568 NW2d 339 (1997). 17 MCL 28.722(e). 5 information, and a summary of the offender’s convictions.18 Offenders are also required to sign a form acknowledging their obligations as sex offenders under SORA.19 The Legislature used broad language to describe SORA’s scope and intent. SORA is intended to “better assist law enforcement officers and the people of this state in preventing and protecting against the commission of future criminal sexual acts by convicted sex offenders.”20 The Legislature determined that convicted sex offenders— homeless or otherwise—pose a potential serious danger to the safety and morals of the people of Michigan and particularly to the state’s children.21 SORA is therefore intended to “provide law enforcement and the people of this state with an appropriate, comprehensive, and effective means to monitor those persons who pose such a potential danger.”22 Consistent with this intent, SORA requires sex offenders to comply with a variety of statutory obligations, two of which are at issue here: (1) the quarterly reporting requirement of MCL 28.725a(4)(b), and (2) the notification requirement of MCL 28.725(1). Inherent in both obligations is the requirement that a sex offender inform law enforcement regarding the location of the offender’s “residence” or “domicile.” 18 See MCL 28.727(1). 19 MCL 28.725a(2). 20 MCL 28.721a. 21 Id. 22 Id. (emphasis added). 6 All sex offenders convicted of one or more listed offenses that are felonies have an affirmative obligation to report quarterly to a law enforcement agency for “verification of domicile or residence.”23 These offenders “shall report in person” to the police between the first and fifteenth day of each January, April, July, and October.24 This quarterly reporting requirement is not contingent on where an offender resides or is domiciled, and all offenders who are not incarcerated must comply. Additionally, all sex offenders have an ongoing obligation to keep law enforcement apprised of changes to their residence or domicile. Specifically, sex offenders “shall notify the local law enforcement agency or sheriff’s department having jurisdiction where his or her new residence or domicile is located or the department post of the individual’s new residence or domicile within 10 days after the individual changes or vacates his or her residence [or] domicile . . . .”25 According to the statute’s plain language, a sex offender’s obligation to notify law enforcement of a new “residence” or “domicile” is triggered when the offender changes or vacates the previous “residence” or “domicile,” not when the new “residence” or “domicile” is established. After an offender complies with the quarterly reporting requirement pursuant to MCL 28.725a(4)(b), the law enforcement agency to whom the offender reports is under 23 MCL 28.725a(4). 24 MCL 28.725a(4)(b) (emphasis added). 25 MCL 28.725(1) (emphasis added). This version of the statute took effect on December 1, 2006. See 2006 PA 402. The previous version of MCL 28.725(1), which was in effect during part of the period in which defendant was charged with violating it, varied in word order but not in substance. 7 an affirmative statutory obligation to verify the information provided by the sex offender.26 MCL 28.725a(8) directs sex offenders to maintain either a valid driver’s license or an official state identification card, either of which may be used as proof of an offender’s residence or domicile for purposes of law enforcement verification. However, those are not the exclusive means by which an offender may prove residence or domicile to law enforcement. SORA expressly contemplates sex offenders with an uncommon residence or domicile by providing that Michigan State Police “may specify other satisfactory proof of domicile or residence.”27 Thus, if a sex offender is unable to provide any of the statutorily specified documents or the offender’s residence or domicile is difficult to confirm, the Michigan State Police is empowered to formulate alternative methods whereby the offender may provide information to verify the offender’s residence or domicile.