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Overview of SB 134 Testimony and Legislative Activity (February 5, 2025)

On February 5^th  the Missouri Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee heard testimony regarding Senate Bill 134 (SB 134). This proposed legislation, introduced by Senator Travis Fitzwater, includes provisions addressing restrictions for individuals on the sex offender registry, particularly regarding their presence on school grounds and potential expansions of the registry’s requirements.

The hearing featured testimony from seven witnesses who spoke in opposition to key provisions of the bill. These witnesses represented a wide range of perspectives and expertise, including:

• Long-time registry participants, who shared personal stories about the challenges faced as a result of the current system and how SB 134 would exacerbate those difficulties.
• The President of Viewpoints-STL, an organization focused on providing transitional housing for men on the registry, who emphasized the barriers to reintegration caused by the proposed bill.
• The President of the Missouri Association for Families and Registrants (MOAFR), who highlighted the need for a path to removal from the registry and the disproportionate effect of lifetime registration requirements.
• A criminal defense attorney, who argued that existing mechanisms already address many of the concerns raised by the bill and cautioned against the blanket restrictions proposed in SB 134.

The witnesses were coordinated by lobbyist Jeff Smith, who has been actively engaging with the bill’s sponsor and committee members to advocate for more balanced and effective legislation alongside another member of our lobbying team, Sarah Schlemeier Henke, who dug into the legislative history of the issue and has taken the lead in crafting modifications to the SB 134 language.

Key Highlights from the Hearing

1. Testimonies Against SB 134:
   • Witnesses collectively stressed the punitive and overly broad nature of the bill, particularly its provisions that would prevent Tier 3 registrants from attending school-related events, even those involving their own children or grandchildren.
   • Personal anecdotes illustrated the human impact of these restrictions, such as parents being unable to attend their children’s school plays, graduations, or parent-teacher conferences.
   • Criticism focused on the shifting of offenses between tiers and how that could upend someone’s life who would be moving to a more severe tier.
2. Concerns About the Registry:
   • Witnesses and experts pointed out that Missouri’s registry system is already one of the most restrictive in the nation, requiring lifetime registration for all tiers due to the Missouri Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law.
   • Calls were made to restore the petition for removal intended by the 2018 legislation, which aligned Missouri with the federal Adam Walsh Act but was later invalidated due to confusing statutory language.
3. Committee Engagement:
   • Committee members, including Senator Schroer and Senator Coleman, asked thoughtful questions about the nature of Tier 3 offenses, the restrictions that have placed huge burdens on families, recidivism rates, and the current enforcement mechanisms for registrants.
   • The discussion revealed a genuine interest in understanding the balance between protecting public safety and ensuring fairness for individuals who have paid their debt to society.

Legislative Outlook and Next Steps

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Fitzwater, appeared receptive to compromise, referencing ongoing conversations with our lobbying team. He acknowledged concerns about unintended consequences and expressed an openness to revising the bill so that it meets the needs of the community without creating excessive burdens.