HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 880        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Tackey Chan

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act regulating sex offender registration in the 21st century.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 880        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1417 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

An Act regulating sex offender registration in the 21st century.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 178C of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Agency”, the following new definition:- “Electronic alias, address and domain”, any electronic mail, website registrations, messaging and chat service aliases, websites and domains either personally owned and operated or otherwise owned and operated by a third party with the purpose of displaying, soliciting or otherwise posting information, entries and aliases associated with either web-based applications and databases, or aliases used and/or stored on personal computers that may be transmitted for use during any communication.

SECTION 2.  Section 178D of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended in subparagraph (a) by inserting after the words “aliases used,” in line 12 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 3. Section 178D of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in the second paragraph by striking out, in line 40, clause (i), and inserting in place thereof the following new clause:- (i) the name of the sex offender, and the offender’s electronic aliases, addresses and domains;

SECTION 4.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “the sex offender’s name,” in lines 38-39 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 5.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “failure to do so” in line 71 the following:-  to give notice of a change of electronic alias, address or domain, or the addition of an electronic alias, address or domain and the penalties for failure to do so,

SECTION 6.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (b) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 82 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 7.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (c) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in lines 118-119 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 8.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (g) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in lines 172-173 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 9.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (h) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 192 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 10.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (l) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 243 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 11.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (o) by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 279 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 12.  Section 178E of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (q) by inserting after the words “the student’s name,” in line 307 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 13.  Section 178F of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in the first paragraph by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 7 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 14.  Section 178F of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in the first paragraph by inserting after the words “sex offender’s name,” in line 19 the following:-  all electronic aliases, addresses and domains,

SECTION 15. Section 178H of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (a) by striking out, in line 3, clause (iii), and inserting in place thereof the following new clause:- (iii) fails to provide notice of a change of address, and fails to give notice of a change of electronic alias, address or domain, or the addition of an electronic alias, address or domain;

SECTION 16.  Section 178J of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in clause (1) of paragraph (b) by inserting after the words “specific individual by name” in line 28 the following:-  , electronic alias, address or domain

SECTION 17. Section 178J of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in paragraph (c) by striking out, in line 50, clause (1), and inserting in place thereof the following new clause:- (1) the name of the sex offender, and the offender’s electronic aliases, addresses, and domains;

SECTION 18. Section 178K of Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended in subparagraph (c) of paragraph (2) by striking out, in line 159, clause (i), and inserting in place thereof the following new clause:- (i) the name of the sex offender, and the offender’s electronic aliases, addresses and domains;