Bill Text: NJ A1772 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Child Protection Zone Act."
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Failed) 2010-02-08 - Withdrawn from Consideration [A1772 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A1772-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY F. MUNOZ
District 21 (Essex, Morris, Somerset and Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Angelini, Assemblymen Chivukula and Rumana
SYNOPSIS
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Child Protection Zone Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning certain sex offenders and designated as the Jessica Lunsford Child Protection Zone Act and supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a . It shall be a crime of the fourth degree for a person subject to the registration requirements set forth in P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7-1 et seq.) whose risk of re-offense has been assessed as high pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1994, c.128 (C.2C:7-8) to reside within 2,500 feet of the real property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center as defined in section 3 of P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-3) or playground as defined in section 1 of P.L.1999, c.50 (C.52:27D-123.9), which shall be known as Child Protection Zones, unless:
(1) The person is required to serve a sentence at a jail, prison, juvenile facility or other correctional institution or facility which is located within 2,500 feet of the real property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center or playground;
(2) The person is receiving treatment at a mental health facility located within 2,500 feet of the real property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center or playground; or
(3) An elementary or secondary school, child care center or playground is built or established within 2,500 feet of the person's existing residence.
b. If a person who is subject to the prohibition set forth in subsection a. of this section established a residence within the child protection zone prior to the effective date of this act, the person shall cease to reside within the child protection zone within 90 days of the effective date of this act.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill, the "Jessica Lunsford Child Protection Zone Act," would expand Megan's Law to restrict sex offenders from residing in areas frequented by children.
The bill establishes child protection zones by making it a crime of the fourth degree for a sex offender whose risk of re-offense has been assessed as high to reside within 2,500 feet of an elementary or secondary school, playground or child care center. The residential ban would not cover a sex offender that resides at a prison or mental health facility within 2,500 feet of an elementary or secondary school, playground or child care center; or a sex offender that has a school, playground or child care center established or built within 2,500 feet of his existing residence. A sex offender that resides at a residence established before the bill's enactment within the zone would be required to move within 90 days of the bill's effective date.
This bill is named for Jessica Lunsford, the Florida girl who was sexually assaulted and murdered by a sex offender, and is modeled on legislation which was recently enacted by the State of Florida.
