Relating to a central database containing information about offenders who have committed certain violent offenses against children or offenses involving family or dating violence.

This bill would establish a database for adults who have been convicted of a crime, on three or more occasions, related to family violence or relating to an offense against a minor. The database would contain the individuals full name, each alias they have used, their date of birth, in addition to a recent photograph and physical description. If this bill passes, the offenses which they were convicted of, the date of each conviction and the punishment for each offense would be public information. 

An individual may petition for removal from the database if they are granted an order of expunction, or if after seven years they have not committed any other related crimes. 

In addition, this bill would modify the portion of the code relating to a court finding of age of victim. Under current law, an affirmative finding of age of the victim only applies in cases related to kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, or unlawful restraint. If this bill passes, a finding of age of the victim would apply to any offense against a person found in the Title V Penal Code.  

Registries and databases are not as effective as many people think, and often lead to negative unintended consequences or grow into something they were not originally intended to be by adding to the parameters over time to include ever more offenders. Such lists can also make people on the registry or database an easy target to victimize and make them unemployable meaning they can not fully participate in the economy and provide for their family. We understand the intentions behind this legislation but we oppose the bill as an overreach beyond the proper role of limited government.