Opinion ID: 2056690
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: SORA of 1991, SORNA of 1995, and SORNA of 1999

Text: [¶ 4] SORNA of 1995 was effective July 4, 1996, and its registration requirements applied to offenders sentenced on or after September 1, 1996. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11102 (Supp.1996). The original sex offender registration law enacted in Maine, the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA of 1991), applied to offenders sentenced from June 30, 1992, to August 31, 1996. See P.L. 1991, ch. 809, § 1 (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. §§ 11001-11004 (Supp.1992)). SORA of 1991 did not state specifically that compliance with its requirements was to be made a part of an offender's criminal sentence, but it did provide that a sentencing court could, for good cause shown, waive the registration requirement. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11003(4)(D) (Supp.1992) (Registration may be waived only if ... [t]he sentencing court, for good cause shown, waives the registration requirement.). An identical sentencing waiver provision was included in SORNA of 1995. [3] See P.L. 1995, ch. 680, § 13 (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11121(6)(D) (Supp.1996)). SORA of 1991 defined [s]ex offender to mean an individual convicted of gross sexual assault if the victim had not attained the age of 16 years at the time of the crime. 34-A M.R.S. § 11002(2) (Supp. 1992). Unlike SORNA of 1995, SORA of 1991 did not also apply to individuals found not criminally responsible for committing gross sexual assault by reason of mental disease or defect if the victim had not attained sixteen years of age at the time of the crime. Compare 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11022(2) (Supp.1992), with 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11103(5) (Supp.1996). [¶ 5] The District Court found that, pursuant to SORNA of 1995, Letalien was originally required to register his address with the Department of Public Safety, State Bureau of Identification, within fifteen days after his discharge from custody, and to update his registration if he moved. See 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11121(2), (3) (Supp. 1996). The registration requirement was to be in effect for fifteen years, except that Letalien could seek a waiver from the Superior Court by petitioning no sooner than five years after first having registered. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11121(2), (6)(C) (Supp. 1996). The registration requirement could be waived upon a finding that the offender has shown a reasonable likelihood that registration is no longer necessary and waiver of the registration requirement is appropriate. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11121(6)(C) (Supp.1996). SORNA of 1995 required that upon release or discharge of a sex offender, notice be given to members of the public whom the department or a law enforcement agency determined appropriate to ensure public safety. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11143(1), (2) (Supp. 1996). [¶ 6] Letalien served twenty months incarceration, less good time, without incident. In 1999, after he was released from incarceration but while he was still on probation, the Legislature enacted SORNA of 1999, which applied prospectively to a wider variety of offenses and imposed requirements on registrants that were more demanding than those of the prior versions of the sex offender statutes. [4] P.L. 1999, ch. 437, § 2 (effective Sept. 18, 1999) (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. §§ 11201-11252 (Pamph.1999)). SORNA of 1999 recognized two categories of offenderssex offender[s] and sexually violent predator[s]based on the crimes for which offenders were convicted. 34-A M.R.S.A. §§ 11202, 11203(5), (8) (Pamph. 1999). Sex offender[s] were required to register for ten years, and sexually violent predator[s] were required to register for life. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11225(1), (2) (Pamph.1999). The public notification requirements were the same as under SORNA of 1995. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11251 (Pamph.1999); see also 34-A M.R.S.A §§ 11142, 11143 (Supp.1996). Relief from the duty to register was available only in the event of a pardon, or if the offender's conviction was reversed, vacated, or set aside. 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11225(4) (Pamph. 1999). Sentencing judges no longer had the discretion to waive the registration requirement for offenders sentenced on or after September 18, 1999. See 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11225 (Pamph.1999). [¶ 7] In 2001, Letalien became subject to the more stringent requirements of SORNA of 1999 as a result of a legislative amendment that made the law apply retroactively to all persons sentenced for sex offenses or sexually violent offenses on or after June 30, 1992, and before September 18, 1999. P.L. 2001, ch. 439, § 000-7 (effective Sept. 21, 2001) (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11202 (Pamph.2001)); see also P.L. 2001, ch. 439, §§ OOO-10 to OOO-12 (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. §§ 11203(8), 11222(2-A), 11225(1) (Pamph.2001)). SORA of 1991 and SORNA of 1995 were repealed in their entirety. P.L. 2001, ch. 439, § OOO-5 (effective Sept. 21, 2001). [¶ 8] Because SORNA of 1999, as amended, deemed the crime for which Letalien was convicted in 1996 a sexually violent offense, in 2001 Letalien was classified as a sexually violent predator and the duration of his duty to register increased from fifteen years to his entire lifetime. See 34-A M.R.S.A. §§ 11202, 11203(7)(A), (8)(A), 11225(2) (Pamph.2001). Letalien also lost the right to seek a waiver of the registration and notification provisions. See 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11225(4) (Pamph.2001). In addition, while Letalien was previously required to contact local law enforcement to provide his new address only if and when it changed, SORNA of 1999 mandated that Letalien report in person to his local law enforcement agency every ninety days to verify his domicile, residence, place of employment, and college or school being attended; to be fingerprinted; and to provide a photograph of himself. Compare 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11222(4) (Pamph.2001), with 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11003(3) (Supp.1992). [¶ 9] In its first regular legislative session in 2003, the Legislature, as part of a series of further revisions to SORNA of 1999, enacted the requirement that the State Bureau of Identification maintain an Internet site posting information regarding registrants. P.L. 2003, ch. 371, § 7 (effective Sept. 13, 2003) (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11221(9) (Pamph.2003)). In addition, the Legislature expanded a registrant's duty to inform the Bureau of a change in domicile, requiring disclosure to the Bureau if the registrant establishes a new place of employment or attends a new school. See P.L. 2003, ch. 371, § 10 (effective Sept. 13, 2003) (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. § 11222(5) (Pamph.2003)). [¶ 10] The Legislature enacted other changes in its second session in 2003: it required the registrant to notify local police within twenty-four hours of beginning employment or school, or establishing a residence, and it shortened the time limit for notification to the Bureau from ten days to five days. See P.L. 2003, ch. 711, §§ C-21, C-22 (effective July 30, 2004) (codified at 34-A M.R.S.A. §§ 11222, 11223 (Pamph.2004)). Additionally, it eliminated the requirement, effective July 30, 2004, that SORNA of 1999 registration be made a part of an offender's criminal sentence. See P.L. 2003, ch. 711, § B-13 (codified at 17-A M.R.S.A. § 1152(2-C) (Supp.2004)). The `as part of the sentence' language was deleted and replaced with the following language: ` At the time the court imposes a sentence, the court shall order every natural person convicted of a sex offense or a sexually violent offense ... to satisfy all requirements set forth in the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act of 1999.' State v. Johnson, 2006 ME 35, ¶ 14, 894 A.2d 489, 492 (quoting 17-A M.R.S.A. § 1152(2-C) (Supp.2004)). [¶ 11] The Legislature made further changes in 2005, extending application of SORNA of 1999 retroactively to January 1, 1982. See P.L. 2005, ch. 423, § 1 (effective Sept. 17, 2005) (codified at 34-A M.R.S. § 11202 (2005)). It also elevated the classification of repeated failure to comply with SORNA of 1999, making a second failure to comply a Class C offense and a failure to comply more than twice a Class B offense. See P.L. 2005, ch. 423, § 23 (effective Sept. 17, 2005) (codified at 34-A M.R.S. § 11227 (2005)). [¶ 12] In 2007, the Legislature enacted 17-A M.R.S. § 261, providing that a registered sex offender whose victim was under the age of fourteen at the time of the offense, commits a crime (Class E) by intentionally or knowingly having direct or indirect contact with any child under the age of fourteen. P.L. 2007, ch. 393, § 1 (effective Sept. 20, 2007) (codified at 17-A M.R.S. § 261(1) (2007)). The penalty is enhanced if the contact occurs in a sex offender restricted zone, such as a school or playground. 17-A M.R.S. § 261(2), (4) (2007). Letalien is subject to the prohibition of section 261 because his victim was thirteen years old at the time of the offense.