I commend Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett on prohibiting sexual offenders from accessing OUR Knox County Libraries. I believe that in 2006, the County Commission should have approved Knox County Commission Chairman Scott Moore's Ordinance that he proposed in January 2006. It was Ordinance O-06-1-102.
An Ordinance of the Commission of Knox County, Tennessee. Prohibiting Residence By Certain Convicted Sex-Offenders Within 2500 Feet of Schools And Child Care Facilities.
The Ordinance read: Whereas, the Tennessee Legislature has by adoption of TCA 40-39-211 prohibited certain sex offenders whose victims were children from living or working within 1000 feet of a school or child care facility; and
Whereas, it is the sense of the Knox County Commission that this distance is inadequate for the protection of minors from sex offenders who prey on them; and
Whereas, it is further the sense of the Commission that the goals of the bill would be better served by increasing the distance between the residence and work addresses of such offenders and school and child care facilities from 1000 feet to 2500 feet.
Now Therefore Be it Ordained By The Commission of Knox County As Follows:
Section 1. No sexual offender, as defined by the provisions of TCA 40-39-202(16) or violent sexual offender, as defined by the provisions of TCA 40-39-202(24), whose victim was a minor and who is subject to the sexual offender registration laws set forth in Title 40, Chapter 39 of the Tennessee Code, shall knowingly establish a primary or secondary residence or any other living accommodation, or knowingly accept employment. within two thousand five hundred feet (2500') of the property line on which any public school, private or parochial school, licensed day care center or any other child acre facility is located.
Section 2. Violators of this Ordinance shall be subject to the civil penalties set forth at 1-4 of the Knox County Code, with each day's violation constituting a separate offense.
Section 3. That this Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, the public welfare requiring it.
Section 1. No sexual offender, as defined by the provisions of TCA 40-39-202(16) or violent sexual offender, as defined by the provisions of TCA 40-39-202(24), whose victim was a minor and who is subject to the sexual offender registration laws set forth in Title 40, Chapter 39 of the Tennessee Code, shall knowingly establish a primary or secondary residence or any other living accommodation, or knowingly accept employment. within two thousand five hundred feet (2500') of the property line on which any public school, private or parochial school, licensed day care center or any other child acre facility is located.
Section 2. Violators of this Ordinance shall be subject to the civil penalties set forth at 1-4 of the Knox County Code, with each day's violation constituting a separate offense.
Section 3. That this Ordinance shall take effect upon passage, the public welfare requiring it.
Unfortunately, in 2006 the Commission did not have enough Commissioners to pass this Ordinance and protect Knox County's children.
1 comment:
Yes, Scott was right at the time. That would have been a very good bill. Too bad not enough of the other commissioners believed so. It's been a hard learning experience for me to see that some of what Scott was trying to do could have been good.
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