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Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jun 13, 1996
Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act of 1996 - Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA) to direct the Attorney General to establish a national database at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track the whereabouts and movement of each person who: (1) has been convicted of a criminal offense against a minor or a sexually violent offense; or (2) is a sexually violent predator (predator). Requires each such person who resides in a State that has not established a minimally sufficient sexual offender registration program to register a current address, fingerprints, and a current photograph with the FBI for inclusion in such database for specified periods of time. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) limits on FBI release of information; (2) address and fingerprint verification procedures; (3) FBI notification of changes in residence and releases from prison; (4) penalties for knowingly failing to register; and (5) notification of certain offenders of their duty to register with the FBI. Requires disclosure of information collected by the FBI to Federal, State, and local: (1) criminal justice agencies for law enforcement and community notification purposes; and (2) governmental agencies responsible for conducting employment-related background checks under the National Child Protection Act of 1993 (NCPA). (Sec. 3) Amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act to: (1) mandate that a person required to register continue to comply with requirements of such Act for life under specified circumstances; (2) include victims rights advocates and representatives from law enforcement agencies (LEAs) on the State board that reports to the court regarding determinations that a person is or is no longer a predator; (3) provide that each requirement to register also requires the submission of fingerprints; and (4) require a person required to register to include with the verification form fingerprints and a photograph. (Sec. 7) Modifies VCCLEA provisions regarding the transfer of registration information to require the State LEAs to immediately transfer all required information to the FBI for inclusion in the database. (Sec. 8) Grants State and Federal LEAs, their employees, and State and Federal officials immunity from liability for good faith conduct. (Sec. 12) Revises Federal criminal code provisions regarding fraud and related activity in connection with computers. Sets forth penalties for intentionally accessing a nonpublic computer without authorization or exceeding authorized access and thereby obtaining information from any U.S. department or agency or from any protected computer if the conduct involved an interstate or foreign communication. (Sec. 13) Revises NCPA provisions regarding fees for background checks for volunteer and nonvolunteer providers.
People & committees
Rep. Bryant, Ed [R-TN-7] · R–TN
Legislative record
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Star Print ordered on the bill as reported.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 437.
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with an amendment. Without written report.
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with an amendment. Without written report.
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H14326-14328)
Mr. McCollum moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 199.
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 104-392.
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 104-392.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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