Opinion of the Justices to the Senate

*1202To the Honorable the Senate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

The undersigned Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court respectfully submit their responses to the questions set forth in an order adopted by the Senate on May 29, 1996, and transmitted to this court on May 31, 1996. The order indicates that there is pending before the General Court Senate Bill No. 2276 entitled “An Act relative to sex offender registration, community notification and information access.” A copy of the bill was transmitted with the order.

The order provides a brief description of the proposed statute, which we…