TOWN ADOPTS TOUGHER SEX OFFENDER LEG

Suffolk Life/Barbara LaMonica

In a 7-0 vote last week, the Brookhaven Town Board approved legislation that imposes tougherrestrictions on where level two and three sex offenders can reside in relation to where childrencongregate.  The Child Protection Act, introduced by Brookhaven Town Fourth DistrictCouncilwoman Connie Kepert, increases the distance in which convicted levels two and three sexoffenders can reside from a school, park or playground, or day care center from 1,000 feet toone-quarter mile.  The new legislation also decreases the time that level two and three sexoffenders have in which to relocate a further distance from any child-related facility, from 90days down to 45 days.  However, there is a grandfather clause in the newly adopted law thatallows a level two or three sex offender who has been living 1,000 feet away from a child-orientedfacility prior to December 27, 2005 to continue living at the location.
(New York)