SE Illinois News

SPRINGFIELD – Democrats have introduced a bill, Senate Bill 2254, aiming to amend existing restrictions on where convicted sex offenders can live relative to schools, playgrounds, and childcare facilities. Currently, offenders are prohibited from living within 500 feet of such locations. The new proposal suggests reducing this distance to 250 feet.

The legislation also proposes lowering penalties for registry violations involving sex offenders, arsonists, and violent offenders. Under this bill, these infringements would be downgraded from felonies to misdemeanors. Additionally, it suggests reducing the registration period from 10 years to 5 years for the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry. Moreover, it mandates law enforcement to waive registration fees for offenders who cannot afford to pay.

In response, Senate Republicans assert that safety measures should not be loosened but rather enforced more strictly to ensure that offenders are held accountable. "Rather than seeking to reduce safeguards put in place to protect children," they contend, "more should be done to hold those who abuse accountable for their crimes."

Further, they emphasize a separate legislative proposal, Senate Bill 284, which seeks to eliminate plea deals for specific offenses like grooming, trafficking, and involuntary sexual servitude of minors, and to enact stricter restrictions on convicted offenders. This Republican-backed proposal also suggests expanding the list of locations where convicted child sex offenders are barred from working, volunteering, or being present, specifically focusing on venues that cater to minors.