§ 178F 1/2 — Registration by personal appearance; level 2 or level 3 sex offenders

Section 178F1/2. An incarcerated sex offender finally classified by the board as a level 2 or level 3 sex offender who is required to register under sections 178C to 178P, inclusive, shall appear in person within 2 days of release from the custody of an agency, including the department of correction, the department of youth services or any of the houses of correction, at the local police department in the city or town in which the sex offender lives, or if the sex offender does not reside in the commonwealth, in the city or town in the commonwealth in which the sex offender has a secondary address, works or attends an institution of higher learning, to register; but no such obligation to register in person shall arise where the pertinent address is the same as that provided to the board by the offender before his release under subsection (a) of section 178E. The sex offender shall be informed by, and shall acknowledge in writing to, the agency that has custody of the sex offender of the duty to comply with this section. A sex offender who is finally classified by the board as a level 2 or level 3 offender and who is required to register under said sections 178C to 178P, inclusive, shall appear in person annually at the local police department in the city or town in which the sex offender lives or, if the sex offender does not reside in the commonwealth, in the city or town in the commonwealth in which the sex offender has a secondary address, works or attends an institution of higher learning, to verify that the registration data on file remains true and accurate. At such time, the sex offender's photograph and fingerprints shall be updated. Such sex offender who has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section 178K shall also appear in person at such police department every 45 days to verify, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that the registration data on file remains true and accurate. A homeless sex offender shall appear in person at such local police department every 30 days to verify, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that the registration data on file remains true and accurate. A homeless shelter receiving state funding shall cooperate in providing information in the possession of or known to such shelter, when a request for information is made to such shelter by the board or such local police department; provided, however, that such request for information shall be limited to that which is necessary to verify an offender's registration data or a sex offender's whereabouts. A shelter that violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be punished by a fine of $100 a day for each day that such shelter continues to violate the provisions of this paragraph. In addition, in each subsequent year during the month of birth of any sex offender required to register, the board shall mail a nonforwardable verification form to the last reported address of such sex offender. If such sex offender is a juvenile at the time of such notification, notification shall also be mailed to such sex offender's legal guardian or the agency having custody of the juvenile in the absence of a legal guardian and his most recent attorney of record. Such sex offender shall, within five days of receipt, sign the verification form under the penalties of perjury and register in person at the police department in the municipality in which such sex offender lives, or if such sex offender does not reside in the commonwealth, in the city or town in which such sex offender has a secondary address, works or attends an institution of higher learning. The board shall periodically, and at least annually, send written notice to a city or town police department regarding any sex offender required to register whose last known address was in such city or town or who gave notice of his intent to move to or is otherwise believed to live or work in such city or town, but who has failed to register or verify registration information as required. A sex offender finally classified as a level 2 or level 3 offender shall also comply with the provisions of paragraphs (g) to (j), inclusive, of section 178E, but the offender shall give the required notice in person at the police department in the city or town where such sex offender resides, or if such sex offender does not reside in the commonwealth, in the city or town in which such sex offender has a secondary address, works or attends an institution of higher learning.The board shall examine through electronic transfer of information the tax returns, wage reports, child support enforcement records, papers or other documents on file with the commissioner of revenue or any other entity within the executive branch when there is reason to believe a sex offender required to register has not so registered in accordance with this chapter or where the address of such sex offender cannot be verified through other means; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the disclosure, directly or indirectly, of any information other than the address of such sex offender, except as otherwise provided by sections 178C to 178P, inclusive.