Rhode Island State Senate Approves Bill To Keep Sex Offenders Away From Schools

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island State Senate approved a bill to keep sex offenders 300 feet away from schools.

The legislation approved by the senate Tuesday was sponsored by state Sen. Todd M. Patalano, D-Cranston, and would clarify the law restricting the residence of sex offenders near schools.

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“This bill addresses a crucial issue: how we protect the most vulnerable members of our society from those who have shown a clear and serious propensity for harm,” Patalano, who is a major with the Cranston Police Department, said in a media release.

“The protection of our children is paramount," Patalano said.

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The bill would make it a felony for a registered sex offender to live within 300 feet of a school.

"The legislation is in response to a 2023 court decision that ruled that a state law barring level three sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of a school was unconstitutional," according to the release.

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"The law barring level one and two sex offenders from residing within 300 feet of a school remains on the books," the release said. "This bill would apply the same 300-foot restriction to level three offenders, closing a loophole in the statute that left the more serious offenders unrestricted," according to the release."

Patalano called the existing law regarding residency of level three sex offenders, the level with the highest risk of sexual recidivism, "vague."

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"Our schools are places where children should be able to learn, grow and flourish without fear," he said. "Yet the 2023 ruling by the federal court in Rhode Island made it clear that our existing laws, particularly our restriction on where level three sex offenders can reside in relation to schools, were unconstitutionally vague. This law clarifies the law by applying the same clear distance restriction already in place for other offenders to offenders who have been convicted of the most severe offenses, helping to ensure our schools and neighborhoods remain safe."

The bill now moves to the House.

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