Proposal moves school bus stops away from violent sex offenders

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(The Center Square) – Parents should not worry about registered sex offenders living close to their children’s bus stops.

This, according to one state lawmaker intent on giving families a choice to move the stop farther away when the situation arises.

Rep. Jeremy Shaffer, R-Wexford, said he believes the General Assembly “has an obligation to provide for the safety of our youngest and most vulnerable students.”

The proposal, now circulating for co-sponsors, would require school boards to notify parents when a registered sex offender lives near a bus stop, and accommodate any requests to change it.

Shaffer said the policy supplements other legislation he introduced in March banning sexually violent offenders from living within 2,500 feet of schools and daycares. Although residency restrictions can be imposed as part of the sentencing process, no mechanism exists after a punishment is complete.

“Recently, in my district, a sexually violent predator moved into a residence located immediately adjacent to an elementary school’s playground that is used by children at recess,” Shaffer said. “Many parents in this community are, understandably, concerned and outraged that current law permits such a dangerous individual to reside so close to a school and its playground facilities. 

“Clearly, those sex offenders who are recognized as being incapable of controlling their sexually violent impulses and behaviors pose a significant threat to our communities and our children.”

Nearly 24,000 sex offenders are registered in the commonwealth, with Pennsylvania’s rate ranking in the bottom 10 nationwide, according to state data compiled by SafeHome. It's unclear how many are considered sexually violent, a designation that comes with lifetime registration requirements.

The legislature considered a similar bill in 2023 that critics argued was unconstitutional.