CS/CS/HB 119 (Glorioso) defines “loitering and prowling by certain offenders in close proximity to children” and list the penalties associated with said crimes. Current state law provides that convicted sex offenders cannot live within 1,000 feet of a school, day care center, park, playground, designated school bus stop, or place where children regularly congregate. Some cities have chosen to adopt residency exclusion ordinances beyond this statewide minimum distance. Earlier versions of the bill preempted these local government residency exclusion ordinances.

The version of CS/CS/HB 119 that passed did not have any preemption language in it. Instead, the bill creates a circle of safety around places where children congregate. These convicted sex offenders are now not allowed within 300 of these places where children are gathering. (Cook)