Bill would prevent sex offenders from entering schools and daycares, but there are some exceptions

The state Senate has advanced Senate Bill 422, a measure that would prevent sex offenders from entering schools and daycares in the state, but there are some exceptions to the rule.

“Our children need to be able to go to school or daycare without the fear of being groomed by convicted sex offenders or being a predator’s next victim,” state Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, said in a release. “It is essential that Ohio have a statewide policy in place to protect our children from predators.”

Schaffer, who sponsored the measure with state Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware,  also said that Ohio needs to “close down this loophole and close it down quickly,” The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Brenner added in the release that this bill is “about setting clear, statewide standards to protect our students.”

“Parents should never have to worry about who is allowed in their child’s school. By keeping convicted offenders out of school environments, we are taking necessary steps to ensure every student can learn in a safe and secure setting,” he said.

According to the release, the bill “prohibits Tier I offenders convicted of importuning or child enticement, Tier II, and Tier III sex offenders from knowingly entering a school, preschool, childcare center, and off-campus school-affiliated events.”

Even though the legislation is very strict, there are still some exceptions, such as picking up or dropping off your child next to a school, voting in an election when the polling place is on a school’s campus, and being a student yourself.

In the case of an offender being a student, a school district must “impose reasonable safety and supervision conditions governing the student’s presence on school premises.” Neither the bill nor the press release explained what could be classified as “reasonable” conditions.

If the bill becomes law, it would require county sheriffs’ offices to send a written notice to any convicted offender at the time of their registration, stating that they are forbidden from entering a school, preschool, childcare center, or any school-related event, while also including the list of times when an offender may be permitted on the school grounds.

An offender who decides to violate the law would be charged with a “misdemeanor of the second degree on a first offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree on a second offense, and a felony of the fifth degree on each subsequent offense,” according to the press release.

“I can’t believe, quite frankly, that they can go into a school now,” state Sen. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, told Fox 19, adding that she opposes the bill’s exceptions. “They are not allowed to live there, so why are we allowing them to drop their kids off? Why are we allowing them to go into the classroom for whatever reason?”

State Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati, told Fox 19 that he would vote for it if it passed out of the state House.

“It just sounds like common sense. I mean, think about it,” he said, per Cleveland 19. “You don’t want someone who happens to have that designation to just enter a school for whatever reason. You would think that was a law, and I never gave any thought.”

It is unlikely that the state House would consider the bill before the 2026 general elections, given the recently started recess, which typically ends only in early fall.

The President of the Cincinnati Public School Board, Brandon Crag, told Fox 19 that he is aware of the bill, adding that the Cincinnati Public Schools “maintain extensive efforts to ensure that our students are safe,” which include “comprehensive safety protocols, required background checks, and regular reviews of our policies and practices.”

“We are focused on ensuring our students’ safety and have steps in place so that we are able to keep our students safe as they learn. We will continue to monitor the legislation as it evolves.”