Bill > HB2749

This bill allows counties with 300,000 or fewer residents to create local restrictions preventing high-risk registered sex offenders from entering child safety zones in unincorporated areas of the county. A "child safety zone" is defined broadly as premises where children commonly gather, such as schools, playgrounds, video arcades, and youth centers, but excludes churches. Specifically, the bill enables county commissioners to prohibit sex offenders who are assigned to numeric risk level three from going within a specified distance (up to 1,000 feet) of child safety zones in school districts with 500 or fewer students. The bill includes important protections, such as an affirmative defense for legitimate purposes like child transportation or work-related activities, and requires the county order to provide an exemption process and grandfather in sex offenders who already resided within the restricted zone before the order's adoption. Violating such an order would be a Class C misdemeanor. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, and aims to enhance public safety by providing local governments with additional tools to protect children in smaller, rural communities.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2749