I vote no on this bill. If passed, this bill will not protect children. How will this bill be operationalized? Will police officers do a background check on each person at all parks in perpetuity? I hope we can start figuring out how to protect real children instead of creating yet more laws and filling our legislative books with laws that cannot exist with reality.

Please vote NO on HB250. Research / scholarship has proven that geographical and proximity restrictions do not protect children. These restrictions are arbitrary, difficult to enforce, and completely useless. Legislation should be based on facts, not fear.

This bill would add another Felony 6 to our burgeoning Virginia Code, but only for those committing their crimes on or after July 1, 2026?? How are these people to be identified and differentiated from those committing their crimes before that date? Will they have a Scarlet Letter emblazoned on their foreheads? Who measures the 100 foot distance restriction? What if children move into the space already occupied by the restricted person--is he automatically in violation? Do you understand the inhumanity of "shall as part of his sentence be forever prohibited"? I think you can see that enforcement as well as compliance would be a nightmare with this bill. We have seen bills like this offered in the recent past--usually supported by the Republicans. Mercifully, these bills have all died due to opposition by the Democratic Party. Please. Save our legislators time and tax payers' money and Vote NO HB250.

This is a TERRIBLE bill, and I am deeply disappointed in Del Watts (as well as Sen. Diggs in SB 55) , who has so often done so many wonderful things for children. But this bill would provide an injustice to those other marginalized people, so-called sex offenders, who are also sometimes placed on the registry as children, too. 100 feet is far TOO CLOSE and easy to trip up unsuspecting people who may inadvertently stumble upon the many random parks and rec areas frequented by children. It would be the police who effectively determine what "loitering" means, and would further stigmatize those who , like me, were unjustly convicted of a crime we never contemplated to begin with. Children who might wish to play with their friends, but who are also on the registry would be barred from such venues as well. It is a solution in search of a problem, and deeply insulting to those of us , over 1 million now, placed on the registry, often for trifling matters that have nothing to do with harming children. We would be further stigmatized. I write on behalf of many who would not be writing here, but depending on my voice as well.