PIERRE - A new South Dakota law that goes on the books July 1 will require people to register as sex offenders if found guilty of purposely infecting sex partners with the AIDS virus.

Two people in the state have been convicted in recent years of intentionally infecting others with HIV. The maximum prison term for the crime is 15 years in prison.

People convicted of most sex offenses already must give their names, addresses and other information to law agencies for inclusion on the registry.

Failure to register as a sex offender or verify that status twice annually is punishable by up to two years in prison.

The sex offender registry is a public record and can be viewed on the Internet.

On the Net: http://sor.sd.gov/disclaimer.asp?page<P>search&nav2