The Maine Legislature is reviewing a bill to zone convicted sexual offenders from living in homes (even their own homes) that are within 750 feet of any school, park, state or municipal garage … or the same distance from any property owned by a local or state government.
I am not sure lawmakers meant to bar sex offenders from living near roads, too, but that is what the wording of the bill also does. Convicted sex offenders will be banned from living 750 feet from the nearest road. It makes no difference if they already own the home.
That should destroy a few marriages. Maybe those individuals could camp out in state parks. Oops, nope, that is state-owned land.
The New Hampshire Legislature killed a similar bill several years ago. The Civil Liberties Union had won litigation that found the sex offender restrictions in Franklin and Dover were unconstitutional.
Such housing/living codes make an unpopular group homeless.
I hope Maine lawmakers have better things to do than pass a knee-jerk, dangerous bill like that one.
Chris Dornin, Concord, New Hampshire
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