Arizona legislators are hailing a legal victory in federal court in which a judge upheld Arizona’s sex offender registration laws, rejecting a challenge that sought to weaken public safety protections for Arizona children and families.
The case, Doe v. Sheridan, challenged Arizona’s lifetime registration and reporting requirements for convicted sex offenders. If successful, the lawsuit would have reduced the ability of families and law enforcement to track high-risk offenders and prevent reoffending.
Despite the importance of the protections, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes failed to defend the law, abandoning the state’s responsibility to safeguard communities. In response, Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro intervened to defend Arizona’s statutes and ensure the law was protected.
U.S. District Judge Stephen McNamee ruled in favor of the Arizona Legislature this past Friday, upholding Arizona’s registry and monitoring system in full.
“When the Attorney General didn’t defend Arizona’s public safety laws, we refused to allow the safety of our children to be jeopardized,” said President Petersen. “This ruling makes clear that tracking convicted sex offenders is not only constitutional – it is necessary to protect families and prevent new victimization.”
The ruling ensures that Arizona will continue to:
• Maintain lifetime registration for qualifying sex offenders
• Require reporting of online identities and residence changes
• Give families and law enforcement tools to monitor potential offenders
“This is a victory for every parent in Arizona,” said President Petersen. “The Legislature will always stand up for victims and protect our communities – when those elected to do so refuse to.”
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