Albany County Sex Offender Finds Daycare Loophole
Seeing this story made my blood boil and my stomach churn, all because of a law loophole. I thought the rules on where convicted sex offenders could live were pretty strict but apparently, there's a loophole that allowed one to move near an Albany County daycare.
I've heard stories of an 18-year-old dating a 16-year-old and being put on the sex offender registry, fighting that for their entire life. This is not that case. News10 is reporting that a "high-risk sex offender" moved down the street from a daycare in Voorheesville, all because of a law loophole.
We're all aware that when someone is a convicted sex offender, they're not allowed to live within 1000 from a school. That's the keyword: school. According to the current law, as News10 mentions, "standalone pre-kindergartens and family daycares are not considered “schools" meaning sexually violent offenders can live nearby"
So now a high-risk sex offender is allowed to live 528 feet from This Little Piggy Went to Daycare in Voorheesville. Thankfully, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has since moved the man to another residence farther away from the daycare and the Albany County Sheriff's Office will be keeping a close eye on this man in particular but this loophole still exists!
Senators passed a bill on Tuesday that gives "municipalities the ability to restrict where sex offenders can live." Therefore, unless police and the courts get involved and decide to move the offender, there's nothing daycares can do. They're pushing for the Senate to close this loophole and add similar businesses and education facilities to the list.