Ban On Sex Offenders Near Child Care Facilities Bill Drafted

A Wyoming Legislator is working on a bill that would make it tougher for sex offenders to live in areas where children gather.

Republican State Representative Owen Petersen of Mountain View, has drafted a bill that would ban sex offenders from living within one thousnad feet of a licensed child care facility.

Current state law bans offenders from living within one-thousand feet of a public school.

Petersen says a number of child care providers told him that they felt that they were over-looked when that law passed.

Petersen: “Do you believe the child care facilities are as valuable and should have the protection as the schools, where we do a lot of training, if you would, prior to kindergarten? Or should we not have it and just wide open?”

The Wyoming Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union opposes the idea saying it could make it difficult for offenders to find a place to live in small towns with limited housing.

Petersen says the bill is designed to protect licensed child care facilities, and not just anyplace where a child may be.

Petersen: “Not everyplace and nook and cranny that there be 1 or 2 children around, but those that are licensed by the state of Wyoming, gone through their rigorous process, and have received that status.”

Since this year is a budget session, the bill will need two-thirds majority vote from law-makers in order to be introduced.

The 2012 Budget Session begins next Monday, February 13th.