SB 205 - This act requires the Department of Public Safety to create a sex offender registry of offenders who have been convicted of sex offenses against children under age eighteen on or after October 1, 1997. The registry shall include the offender's name, address, physical description and criminal history.

The Department shall send an update of the registry on January 1 and July 1 of each year to: 1) the superintendent of each school district; 2) the principal of each nonpublic school; 3) any state board that licenses individuals that work with children; 4) the Director of Social Services; 5) all child care facilities and placement agencies; and 6) any other group that provides services to children that requests the registry. Each school district shall develop policies for the distribution of information in the registry to principals, teachers and other staff.

The Department shall, when sending the registry, issue a notice stating that a person who appears on the registry and is employed by an agency, may subject the agency to liability.

Information in the registry may only be used to protect a child at risk and in deciding whether to hire an applicant for a position that involves contact with children. A person who uses information obtained from the registry for any other purpose shall be liable for actual damages suffered by a person on the registry.

JAMES KLAHR