§15-20A-18. Adult sex offender - Identification requirements.

(a) Every adult sex offender who is a resident of this state shall obtain, and always have in his or her possession, a valid driver license or identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety. If any adult sex offender is ineligible to be issued a driver license or official identification card, the Department of Public Safety shall provide the adult sex offender some other form of identification card or documentation that, if it is kept in the possession of the adult sex offender, shall satisfy the requirements of this section. If any adult sex offender is determined to be indigent, an identification card, or other form of identification or documentation that satisfies the requirements of this section, shall be issued to the adult sex offender at no cost. Indigence shall be determined by order of the court prior to each issuance of a driver license or identification card.

(b) The adult sex offender shall immediately obtain a valid driver license or identification card upon his or her initial registration following release, initial registration upon entering the state to become a resident, or immediately following his or her next registration after July 1, 2011.

(c) Whenever the Department of Public Safety issues or renews a driver license or identification card to an adult sex offender, the driver license or identification card shall bear a designation that enables law enforcement officers to identify the licensee as a sex offender.

(d) Upon obtaining or renewing a driver license or identification card bearing a designation that enables law enforcement officers to identify the licensee as a sex offender, the adult sex offender shall relinquish to the Department of Public Safety any other driver license or identification card previously issued to him or her which does not bear any designation enabling law enforcement officers to identify the licensee as a sex offender.

(e) No adult sex offender shall mutilate, mar, change, reproduce, alter, deface, disfigure, or otherwise change the form of any driver license or identification card which is issued to the adult sex offender and which bears any designation enabling law enforcement officers to identify the licensee as a sex offender. An adult sex offender having in his or her possession a driver license or identification card issued to him or her by the Department of Public Safety bearing any designation enabling law enforcement officers to identify the licensee as a sex offender which has been mutilated, marred, changed, reproduced, altered, defaced, disfigured, or otherwise changed shall be prima facie evidence that he or she has violated this section.

(f) Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a Class C felony.

(Act 2011-640, p. 1569, §18.)