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Sex offender residency restrictions approved
BY DAN EAKIN, Staff Writer
The Lewisville City Council Monday night voted 4-1 to restrict where some registered sex offenders may live in the city.
Any registered sex offenders who have committed crimes against minors will be prohibited from living within 1,500 feet of schools, daycares, playgrounds and other public places where children routinely gather.
Council member Rudy Durham voted against the ordinance, calling it “feel-good legislation.”
Both Tierney and council member Lathan Watts expressed concern that Lewisville could become “an island” for registered sex offenders since other city councils in the area have approved residency restrictions for registered sex offenders.
Carrollton, Coppell, The Colony and Flower Mound already have local residency restrictions for registered sex offenders in place.
“It would be nice if the state would pass something that would be uniform,” Watts said.
On the consent agenda, the council approved a resolution encouraging the Texas Legislature to establish statewide residency restrictions for certain convicted sex offenders no longer on probation or parole.
The new city ordinance is to take effect Feb. 9, after required newspaper notices are published.
City Attorney Ron Neiman emphasized that the requirements of the ordinance are not retroactive, and that registered sex offenders who already live within the 1,500-foot limit will not be required to move.
“The state currently prohibits registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of children’s gathering places while the offenders are on parole or probation,” explained James Kunke, city communications manager. “The city’s restriction takes effect at the end of the probation or parole period and extends throughout the state mandated registration for offenders whose victim was under 17 years old.”
“There are currently 73 registered sex offenders among the city’s 92,000 residents, roughly the same number as a year ago,” Kunke said. “Of those, 56 committed violations against minors.”
Bill Franz, a Lewisville resident, tried unsuccessfully to get the council to change the wording from “minors” to “children,” describing minors as those under 17 and children as those under 14.
Neiman said, however, that state law does not make such distinctions in cases involving sex offenses.
Franz questioned whether the passage of the restrictions would reduce the number of sex offenses committed against minors in the future.
CONTACT DAN EAKIN AT 972-628-4075 OR AT DEAKIN@ACNPAPERS.COM.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Mike wrote on Jan 31, 2008 12:24 AM:
" This does nothing to protect the children. In fact it is even more dangerous to do this type of restrictions. Lets say all the cities have banishment zones and offenders are left to certain cities only that will accept them. If you have a sexual assault in your city how would you be able to help identify them through a registry? You would literally have to go through the 35 thousand photos in the state to try and find this person. The best way is for all cities is to accept them and to make sure they are registered and the notification process is done. If someone molests a child in your city and you have no registry for your city where else can you look but at the state registry. Do you think no offender in your city will make anyone safer? Lewisville should be a leader not a follower. "
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