Senate Approves Measures to Protect Our Children From Sex Offenders

I’m proud to report that I’ve just voted to approve several pieces of legislation designed to help keep our local communities, families and children safe from convicted sex offenders.

Specifically, these bills would:

• Allow  localities  to fortify sex offender restrictions in ways that are no less restrictive than state laws;
• Require school  districts  to  distribute information about a sex offender’s residence upon notification from law enforcement;
• Close  the  loophole  on the legal definition of a school to include Pre-K and Kindergarten;
• Hold  risk  assessment hearings before a sexual predator is released into a community;
• Prevent convicted Level 1, 2, or 3 sex offenders from residing within 1,000  feet  of  a building used exclusively as an elementary or high school;
• Prohibit a Level 2 or 3 sex offender from residing within 1,500 feet of their victim’s residence;
• Fix a loophole that allows sex offenders to spend significant amounts of time at a residence other than the primary one registered with the state;
• Increase the information available to the public when a convicted sex offender is in contact with the community; and
• Prohibit Level 3 sex offenders from entering child care facilities as a condition of their sentencing.

Today's  action comes on the heels of an important new Senate investigative report, “Keeping  Our  Children Safe From  Sex  Offenders,” that recently uncovered  startling violations  of  residency  restrictions  and  a major loophole  in  New  York  State  law. The  investigation found  convicted pedophiles violating state law by living within 1,000 feet of grade schools with  Pre-K  programs. In addition, over a dozen sex offenders are residing within  1,000  feet of stand-alone Universal Pre-K programs not attached to grade schools, currently unprotected by state law.

These  revelations  follow  a recent New York State Court of Appeals ruling that  sided  with  a sex offender who completed his parole and moved within 500-feet  of  a Nassau  County  school,  in compliance with state law, but against local law.  The court ruled that only the state, not a locality, is authorized to create residency restrictions for sex offenders.

Ensuring  the  safety and security of children throughout New York is a top priority,  and  I  will  continue working tirelessly until these important measures become law.

I will be sure to keep you posted of my efforts.

Faithfully yours,

Robert G. Ortt

State Senator, 62^nd District