Senate Passes Schaffer, Brenner Bill Banning Sex Offenders From Schools

COLUMBUS—The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 422, sponsored by Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and Senator Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), which prohibits sexual predators from accessing schools and school sponsored functions.

“Our children need to be able to go to school or daycare without the fear of being groomed by convicted sex offenders or being a predator's next victim,” Schaffer said. “It is essential that Ohio have statewide policy in place to protect our children from predators."

“This legislation is about setting clear, statewide standards to protect our students," Senator Brenner added. "Parents should never have to worry about who is allowed in their child’s school. By keeping convicted offenders out of school environments, we are taking necessary steps to ensure every student can learn in a safe and secure setting."

The legislation prohibits Tier I offenders convicted of importuning or child enticement, Tier II, and Tier III sex offenders from knowingly entering a school, preschool, childcare center, and off-campus school-affiliated events with the following exceptions:

• The offender is a parent picking up or dropping off their own child or children for the following reasons:
  • The start of or at the end of the school day, for school sponsored programs, and in the event of an emergency, illness, or medical appointment;
• The offender is a parent attending a parent-teacher conference after regular school hours, provided that no children are present at the meeting;
• The offender is both registered and assigned to vote at a polling location located inside one of the prohibited grounds; or
• The offender is a student enrolled at the school, attending classroom instruction on a day that the school is in session, or serving an in-school suspension.

In the event that the offender is a student, school districts will be required to impose reasonable safety and supervision conditions on the student's presence on school premises.

Senate Bill 422 directs county sheriffs' offices to
provide written notice to any convicted offender at the time of their registration that they are prohibited from entering a school, preschool, childcare center, or school-affiliated event. The notice shall also include the list of the legitimate purposes for which the offender may be present. 

Under this bill, any violators will be charged with a misdemeanor of the second degree on a first offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree on a second offense, and a felony of the fifth degree on each subsequent offense.

The Ohio Senate has sent Senate Bill 422 to the Ohio House for further consideration. 

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