May 9, 2018
Ruling Affirms Constitutionality of Adam Walsh Act
~~~~~
Carson City, NV – Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced that his office obtained a favorable ruling from the Nevada Supreme Court regarding Nevada’s sex offender registry. The ruling allows Nevada to implement Assembly Bill 579 (AB 579) from the 2007 Legislative Session, which aligns Nevada’s sex offender registration laws with the federal requirements of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
In an order, the Court rejected unnamed sex offenders’ efforts to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent implementation of AB 579. The Court found that there was no reason to stop enforcement of the law, and that the record was insufficient for further review. Originally enacted into law in Nevada in 2007, AB 579 has been challenged numerous times. Each time, a court has ultimately upheld the law. The period for an appeal runs through May 11, 2018.
The purpose of AB 597 is to establish a national system of registering sex offenders. Under this legislation, sex offenders will be placed in tier level classifications. An offender’s tier level classification impacts three areas: how often an offender must appear in person to verify registration information; how many years an offender must register; and whether certain offenders are exempt from website disclosure.
“Imposing extra reporting requirements on sex offenders will help keep our communities safer,” said Laxalt, “Which is why my office has been involved in this litigation for several years. I am proud of our role in protecting Nevada’s public by allowing for an offense-based tiering of sex offenders and providing the community with information on registered sex offenders.”
On behalf of the Department of Public Safety, the Office of the Nevada Attorney General has briefed and argued a variety of complex legal and constitutional issues concerning AB 579 in federal and State courts since 2007.
To view the ruling, click here.
###