The Issue
I live less than a block from a school, daycare, and playground in Utah, and something I discovered raised serious concerns for me. While reviewing publicly available sex-offender registry information, I found approximately 15 registered offenders listed in my surrounding area. Seeing this number of registered offenders near places where children regularly gather made me question whether Utah's current laws provide sufficient safeguards for our communities.

As someone who works with young athletes and deeply cares about children's safety, I believe this issue deserves serious attention from Utah lawmakers.

Children, parents, schools, daycares, youth organizations, and neighborhoods throughout Utah deserve reasonable protections. I believe Utah should examine whether its current laws governing where individuals convicted of qualifying sexual offenses against children may reside are strong enough.

I am asking the Utah Legislature to consider stronger, carefully written residency restrictions for individuals convicted of qualifying sexual offenses against minors. These protections should specifically examine appropriate distances from schools, licensed daycares, playgrounds, public parks, youth recreation facilities, and other locations primarily intended for children.

Other states have adopted residency or proximity restrictions for certain convicted sex offenders. Utah should examine these approaches, the evidence surrounding their effectiveness, constitutional requirements, and potential unintended consequences to determine what policies would provide meaningful protection for Utah's children.

This proposal is not about ignoring due process or treating every person on the sex-offender registry as though they committed the same offense. It is about establishing reasonable protections specifically focused on individuals convicted of qualifying sexual offenses against children and ensuring that Utah's laws appropriately address locations where children regularly gather.

I call upon the Utah State Legislature to review Utah's existing laws and consider legislation establishing stronger, clear, constitutional, and enforceable protections around schools, daycares, playgrounds, parks, and youth facilities.

Your voice matters. By signing this petition, you are asking Utah lawmakers to seriously examine this issue and consider stronger protections for children. Utah's children should be able to learn, play, participate in sports, and grow up in communities that make their safety a priority.

Please sign this petition and join me in asking the Utah State Legislature to take action to protect Utah's children.