Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen announced a federal court decision upholding the state’s sex offender registration laws. The ruling came after a legal challenge, Doe v. Sheridan, sought to change Arizona’s lifetime registration and reporting requirements for convicted sex offenders.
The lawsuit argued that the current system should be weakened, which could have reduced the ability of families and law enforcement to monitor high-risk offenders. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes did not defend the law in court. In response, Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro intervened to support the existing statutes.
U.S. District Judge Stephen McNamee ruled in favor of maintaining Arizona’s registry and monitoring system without changes.
“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.”
With this decision, Arizona will continue requiring lifetime registration for certain sex offenders, reporting of online identities and residence changes, and providing tools for families and law enforcement 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.”
Petersen has served as a Republican member of the Arizona State Senate since 2023, representing the 14th Senate District after succeeding David Gowan.
