Panel passes sex offender bill unanimously

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — When the Navajo Nation Council meets for its spring session in April, one of the items up for debate will be a sex offender registration bill sponsored by delegate Katherine Benally.

The legislation would make anyone who works, lives or attends school on the reservation to register as an offender with the Navajo Nation chief of police. Anyone who is convicted, pled guilty or no contest to a sex offense would be included under Benally's bill, regardless of whether the offense occurred on the reservation or in another jurisdiction.

While many states have such registries, they often include levels for offenders, requiring only the most violent or likely to repeat to register. The Benally legislation includes no distinctions.

"An offender is an offender," Benally said.

The registry would include the nature of the offense and a work, home or school address. If there is a change in any of the information on file, the registrants would have 10 days to report them to police.

The information would be available to news outlets and the chapters involved, Benally told the Ethics and Rules Committee.

"Failure to comply would constitute a parole violation," Benally said.

The legislation was previously passed by unanimous votes of the judiciary and public safety committees.

"This legislation is merely to protect our innocent constituents," Benally said. "We, as leaders, parents and concerned individuals, will be more aware of who is in our communities."

It may be a good idea to include a picture with the registrant, Benally said.

"There are five Katherine Benally's within the Navajo Nation," she said.

Maybe a census or social security number should be included on the registry, suggested ethics Vice Chairman Curran D. Hannon.

Because police chiefs are usually involved with administrative duties, the criminal investigators would be a better choice for keeping tabs on sex offenders, suggested Virgil Brown, executive director of the ethics office.

Ethics approved the bill by a unanimous vote.

"It goes to council and I hope it passes," Hannon added.

— John Christian Hopkins can be reached at 1-505-371-5443, or by email at Hopkins1960@hotmail.com.