A close family member of mine endured an unimaginably traumatic experience that has left lasting scars. She was the victim of sexual assault from a stranger during her childhood—a chapter of her life she hoped to keep closed forever. In a cruel twist of fate, over a decade later, while shopping with her young daughter, she unexpectedly encountered the predator from her past. The individual had since become the owner of a comic book and toy store. Witnessing her attacker interact with her own child triggered a torrent of emotions, shattering her sense of safety and well-being, resulting in months of emotional turmoil.

This incident is a haunting reminder of the gaps in our protective measures concerning child safety in Colorado. It is unconscionable that a convicted child sex offender can legally operate a business whose primary customers are unsuspecting children. Allowing such an individual to run a comic book or toy store poses a direct risk to our community's most vulnerable members—our children.

In Colorado, a simple background check is not sufficient to prevent these individuals from owning businesses that cater predominantly to children. According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, many state regulations do not restrict sex offenders from obtaining licenses to operate specific types of businesses. This oversight puts our community's children at unnecessary risk and opens the door to potential exploitation.

To safeguard our communities, we propose enacting stricter regulations preventing convicted child sex offenders from owning or operating businesses with a child-centered market, such as toy stores, comic book shops, day-cares, and other retail environments where children are the primary or significant patrons. We urge state lawmakers to consider legislative changes that implement strict restrictions on business ownership for those with this criminal background.

Protecting our children is imperative. Let's prevent these convicted child molesters from enticing our children into their businesses. Let's stop any more traumatic experiences from happening and improve the safety and awareness of our community.

Join us in calling on Colorado lawmakers to enact legislation that will protect our children from potential harm. Sign this petition to demand change in our state's constitution and ensure the safety of our future generations.