A. All persons, businesses and organizations in this state shall have access to search and identify individual names contained in the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registry for purposes of verifying a person’s suitability for employment, volunteering, and for screening persons at risk of potential harm to children who may work with or provide services to children by utilizing one or more of the following methods:

1. A person may contact the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, complete a form and pay the required fees for a name search of both the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registry and, if desired, search other criminal history records pertaining to the person upon payment of the required fees;

2. A person may conduct a free self-initiated search of both the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registry using a computer-Internet link to connect to a state-agency-controlled database containing the names of all persons currently registered on the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registry; or

3. A person may contact either their local law enforcement agency or the Department of Corrections, complete the form and pay the required fees for a name search of both the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registry.

B. The Department of Corrections shall develop the necessary policies, procedures, forms and data access to make the provisions of this section effective statewide and may publish web sites or other information to assist the public in learning where and how to conduct a name search of the two registries authorized in this section. The information provided in a name search shall include the searched person’s full name, any alias names, the crime which requires registration, and whether the person is deemed a habitual or aggravated offender. In addition, information may be provided in the name search concerning the date and place of the offense, the sentence disposition, a photograph of the registered person, and other pertinent information including the current residence location. There shall be no liability to any governmental agency for the release or publication of any information maintained on the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry or the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registry under this section authorizing public access to a name search for purposes of risk of potential harm to a child by a caregiver or for suitability for employment.

Added by Laws 2008, c. 162, § 5, eff. July 1, 2008.