Burchett bill requires sex offenders to declare all names used

(NASHVILLE, TN, April 18, 2008) – The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved legislation sponsored by Senator Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, to make sure that any name used by a sex offender is on Tennessee’s Sex Offender Registry.  The bill would provide that if a sex offender changes names or provides a different name than is listed on their original registration form, they must report it to the registry where it would be listed. 

“Sex offenders should not be able to hide behind another name,” said Senator Burchett, who has been a leader in the State Senate in strengthening Tennessee’s child sex offender laws.  “This bill would make it clear that sex offenders cannot change their name to skirt the law regarding sex offender registry requirements.”

The legislation, SB 2593, comes after a Knoxville case where a female sex offender used another name to hide her identity.  The measure also requires that name changes through marriage be reported.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is responsible for maintaining the Sex Offender Registry and making available a connection to the Sex Offender Registration, Verification, and Tracking System to criminal justice agencies. As of June 30, 2007, there were 10,339 sex offenders registered in Tennessee.

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