2019 Mississippi Code
Title 45 - Public Safety and Good Order
Chapter 33 - Registration of Sex Offenders
§ 45-33-35. Central registry of offenders; duties of agencies to provide information

(1) The Mississippi Department of Public Safety shall maintain a central registry of sex offender information as defined in Section 45-33-25 and shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out this section. The responsible agencies shall provide the information required in Section 45-33-25 on a form developed by the department to ensure accurate information is maintained.

(2) Upon conviction, adjudication or acquittal by reason of insanity of any sex offender, if the sex offender is not immediately confined or not sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the clerk of the court which convicted and sentenced the sex offender shall inform the person of the duty to register, including the duty to personally appear at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station, and shall perform the registration duties as described in Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the department.

(3) Before release from prison or placement on parole, supervised release or in a work center or restitution center, the Department of Corrections shall inform the person of the duty to register, including the duty to personally appear at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station, and shall perform the registration duties as described in Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the Department of Public Safety.

(4) Before release from a community regional mental health center or from confinement in a mental institution following an acquittal by reason of insanity, the director of the facility shall inform the offender of the duty to register, including the duty to personally appear at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station, and shall perform the registration duties as described in Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the Department of Public Safety.

(5) Before release from a youthful offender facility, the director of the facility shall inform the person of the duty to register, including the duty to personally appear at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station, and shall perform the registration duties as described in Section 45-33-23 and forward the information to the Department of Public Safety.

(6) In addition to performing the registration duties, the responsible agency shall:

• (a) Inform the person having a duty to register that:

  • (i) The person is required to personally appear at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station at least ten (10) days before changing address.

  • (ii) Any change of address to another jurisdiction shall be reported to the department by personally appearing at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station not less than ten (10) days before the change of address. The offender shall comply with any registration requirement in the new jurisdiction.

  • (iii) The person must register in any jurisdiction where the person is employed, carries on a vocation, is stationed in the military or is a student.

  • (iv) Address verifications shall be made by personally appearing at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station within the required time period.

  • (v) Notification or verification of a change in status of a registrant’s enrollment, employment or vocation at any public or private educational institution, including any secondary school, trade or professional institution, or institution of higher education shall be reported to the department by personally appearing at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station within three (3) business days of the change.

  • (vi) If the person has been convicted of a sex offense, the person shall notify any organization for which the person volunteers in which volunteers have direct, private or unsupervised contact with minors that the person has been convicted of a sex offense as provided in Section 45-33-32(1).

  • (vii) Upon any change of name or employment, a registrant is required to personally appear at a Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Station within three (3) business days of the change.

  • (viii) Upon any change of vehicle information, a registrant is required to report the change on an appropriate form supplied by the department within three (3) business days of the change.

  • (ix) Upon any change of e-mail address or addresses, instant message address or addresses or any other designation used in Internet communications, postings or telephone communications, a registrant is required to report the change on an appropriate form supplied by the department within three (3) business days of the change.

  • (x) Upon any change of information deemed to be necessary to the state’s policy to assist local law enforcement agencies’ efforts to protect their communities, a registrant is required to report the change on an appropriate form supplied by the department within three (3) business days of the change.

• (b) Require the person to read and sign a form stating that the duty of the person to register under this chapter has been explained.

• (c) Obtain or facilitate the obtaining of a biological sample from every registrant as required by this chapter if such biological sample has not already been provided to the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory.

• (d) Provide a copy of the order of conviction or sentencing order to the department at the time of registration.