Montana State Legislature

SJ 19: Study of sexual and violent offender registries

Study Background:  Montana's Sexual or Violent Offender Registry Act (SVORA) was initially enacted in 1989 and created a registry for sexual offenders. It has been revised and expanded in the subsequent years to include violent offenders and to provide public information on other types of offenders and to require assignment of a risk level to an offender. Montana is currently out of compliance with federal law on sexual offender registries in part became the state classifies sex offenders by the risk of reoffense rather than the type of crime for which the person was convicted. Prior to the 2019-2020 interim, the LJIC had discussed the SVORA, but had not conducted an in-depth review of the registry. SJ 19, sponsored during the 2019 legislative session by Sen. Diane Sands, requested an interim committee study the SVORA program.

Documents generated during the LJIC's 2019-2020 study of the registries are available on this page. To view committee meetings in the 2019-2020 interim, click on the Meeting Minutes tab on the LJIC's home page. To view legislative proposals from the meetings, click on the Legislation tab on the LJIC's home page.

Study Summary -- December 2020

SJ 19 text

• List of Sexual Offenses That Require Registration -- June 2020
• List of Violent Offenses That Require Registration -- June 2020

Staff Reports

• Overview of the Montana Sexual or Violent Offender Registration Act (SVORA) -- September 2019
• Graphic: Key Dates in the History of Montana's SVORA -- September 2019
• Summary of selected Montana legislation amending the SVORA -- September 2019
• Chart: Responsibilities for SVOR Tasks -- November 2019
• Table: Comparison of Montana's SVOR Elements -- November 2019
• Table: Comparison of State Crime Registries -- November 2019
• Summary of 2019 Revisions to Sex Offender Evaluator Qualifications -- January 2020
• Legal memo: Important Decisions of the Montana Supreme Court Related to to SVORA -- January 2020
• Summary: SJ19-1 Complications and Review of Other States' Requirements -- May 2020
  • ARM 20.7.301-304 -- Department of Corrections
  • ARM 24.219.1003 -- Department of Labor and Industry

Other Materials

• Montana
  • Text of Montana's Sexual or Violent Offender Registry Act  -- Title 46, chapter 23, part 5, MCA (2017)
  • SB 84 (1989) Legislative History
  • HB 111 (1997) Legislative History (large file)
    • HB 111 Statement of Intent
  • SVOR background information, November 2019 -- Montana Department of Justice (DOJ) -- Montana Department of Justice (DOJ)
  • Quick reference guide of eligible offenses, November 2019 -- DOJ
  • Map and national data on sex offenders, November 2019 -- DOJ
  • Compliance checks information, November 2019 -- DOJ
  • SVOR registration statistics for the LJIC, November 2019 -- DOJ
  • November 18, 2019, presentation slides -- DOJ
  • January 28, 2020, presentation slides -- Dr. Bowman Smelko
  • Offender Focus Group Materials-- Jana Staton and Hannah Fields
    • May 2020 sexual offender focus group presentation slides
    • Report on sexual offender focus groups
    • June 2020 violent offender focus group presentation slides
    • Report on violent offender focus groups
    • New York State Bar report on violent offender legislation
  • Focus Group Rationale and Methodology, May 2020 -- Jana Staton and Hannah Fields
  • SVOR Offender and Offense Statistics, June 2020 -- Montana Department of Justice
    • Narrative
    • Sexual Offender Data
    • Violent Offender Data
    • Sexually Violent Offender Data
    • Distinct Offender Counts
    • Victim Age Data
• Federal Laws
  • Legislative History of Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification -- SMART Office, U.S. Department of Justice
  • Summary of case law related to sex offender registries -- US Department of Justice
• Other States
  • Crime Registry Acts, September 2019 -- NCSL