Sex offenders; prohibiting entry onto school grounds during school-related activities. (SB1185)

Introduced By

Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Sex offenses prohibiting entry onto school or other property; penalty.  Expands the prohibition on entry onto school grounds by any adult convicted of a sexually violent offense to include (i) any school bus as defined in 46.2-100, (ii) any designated school bus stop during the time when school children are waiting to be picked up and transported to or are being dropped off from school or a school-sponsored activity, or (iii) any property, public or private, during hours when such property is being used solely by a public or private elementary or secondary school for a school-related or school-sponsored activity. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/12/2011Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/11 11101109D
01/12/2011Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/13/2011Assigned Courts sub: Criminal
01/19/2011Impact statement from VCSC (SB1185)
01/26/2011Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/26/2011Rereferred to Finance
02/01/2011Reported from Finance (13-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2011Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/03/2011Read second time
02/03/2011Reading of amendment waived
02/03/2011Committee amendment agreed to
02/03/2011Engrossed by Senate as amended SB1185E
02/03/2011Printed as engrossed 11101109D-E
02/04/2011Read third time and passed Senate (37-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/07/2011Impact statement from VCSC (SB1185E)
02/08/2011Placed on Calendar
02/08/2011Read first time
02/08/2011Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/11/2011Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (19-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/11/2011Committee substitute printed 11105257D-H1
02/11/2011Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/14/2011Impact statement from VCSC (SB1185H1)
02/15/2011Assigned App. sub: Public Safety
02/16/2011Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)
02/18/2011Reported from Appropriations (20-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/22/2011Read second time
02/23/2011Read third time
02/23/2011Committee substitute rejected 11105257D-H1
02/23/2011Passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
02/23/2011VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/03/2011Enrolled
03/03/2011Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1185ER)
03/03/2011Signed by Speaker
03/04/2011Impact statement from VCSC (SB1185ER)
03/06/2011Signed by President
03/26/2011Governor's recommendation received by Senate
03/29/2011Impact statement from DPB (SB1185ER)
04/05/2011Placed on Calendar
04/06/2011Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
04/06/2011House concurred in Governor's recommendation (95-Y 0-N)
04/06/2011VOTE: ADOPTION (95-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
04/06/2011G Governor's recommendation adopted
04/06/2011Reenrolled
04/06/2011Reenrolled bill text (SB1185ER2)
04/06/2011Signed by President as reenrolled
04/06/2011Signed by Speaker as reenrolled
04/06/2011Enacted, Chapter 855 (effective 7/1/11)
04/06/2011G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0855)
04/08/2011Impact statement from VCSC (SB1185ER2)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 1 minute.

Comments

stephen writes:

Get ready to move all your bus stops so the sex offender class can hand out campaiqn fliers, just like muders can.

stephen writes:

How will this apply on election day,will sex offenders be giving less time at the polls. How will this apply when someone needs medical help? Are they suppose to wait to call the ambulance till the kids leave all the bus stops. Your all going to have to come up with the taxes to move your bus stops so sex offenders can campaign equal to Drunk drivers and murders.

Dr Bob writes:

Dear Senator Norment and the Senate Courts of Justice Committee:

I thank you in advance for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read my opinion. I read the legislation introduced by Senator Norment SB1185.

It’s hard to grasp introducing a Bill prohibiting thousands of people required to register from 150 feet of a school bus stop or any property, public or private. This Bill looks more like a residency restriction when residency restrictions have “failed across multiple States” over the past five years. Trying to implement, enforce, and the costly court contests attempting to define and defend these restrictions that protect absolutely no one. This Bill appears more like re-election media action to demonstrate legislators toughness on people required to register as sex offenders. Or, maybe a constituent requested SB1185 trying to force someone living nearby to move.

This Bill will certainly impact the innocent children of people required to register and it protects absolutely no one from someone intending harm. What about the severe impact and abuse from the superfluity of sex offender legislation that impacts innocent family members and children? Is the harm caused from bad legislation towards the innocent children considered acceptable in favor of the majority?

This Bill will cost tax payers precious funds, for no other reason but to dam/devastate anyone required to register as a sex offender. What about the thousands of innocent children and spouses of sex offenders and the severe consequences and abuse to them from neighborhood adults and children at school these ineffective and costly Bills produce?

There is significant studies and literature spanning 20-30 years that (unbiased) demonstrates sex offenders have the lowest recidivism rates of any criminal group. The literature describes residency/bus stop/parks/ recreation centers/swimming pool restrictions having “zero impact on re-offending or safety of society”. Credible studies show when you make a segment of society a pariah to society and deny them the ability to obtain a home and the ability to work, the results are costly and devastating across the spectrum.

How exactly to you expect someone on the registry to know the hours that public or private property is being used by private elementary or secondary school related activity? How do you expect people required to register to know where every school bus stop is located and its hours of operation? This proposed legislation protects absolutely no one and is not feasible to enforce. Instead, it specifically targets to restrict large areas of Virginia from its “taxpayers” because they are legislated to register as a sex offender in Virginia.

Even with substantial literature on sex offender management, treatment, and low recidivism rates, Virginia legislators changed ALL statues/status to “violent” ignoring individual risk. Risk scores are provided in all pre-sentencing reports from Virginia Court appointed experts. These risks scores are available to determine if someone should be placed on the registry. In doing so, law enforcement and society can credibly understand who is truly at risk to society.

If legislators are truly interested in protecting society, then why include thousands of people who have proven in Virginia courts they are “no risk to society” and subsequently removed until SORNA 2006. Virginia legislation returned these people back into the growing and costly registry.

The thousands of registry registers who are all legislated as “violent offenses” mask the very few who are truly a risk to society. Is this a well thought out plan to protect society with a return on Virginia tax payer investment (ROI)? Yet, legislators have done nothing to evaluate, study, or even consider actual individual risk. No consideration of the plethora of sex offense literature and studies available. Instead costly and ineffective legislation continues to proliferate every year such as SB 1185. SB 1185 legislation offers absolutely no value to protect society, it’s erroneous, and appears to be politically driven and fiscally expensive.
Virginia legislation continues to create a sub-human class of people for which Virginia has a long history. I am struggling as to specifically why this Bill was even introduced after reading the lengthy burden of registration requirements. I can’t grasp any good value in this Bill or the ROI cost to taxpayers.

Again, I appreciate the opportunity and your time to read my opinion.