Child sex offenders could be banned from trick-or-treating under Lexington lawmaker's bill

Yahoo

27-01-2025

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — It may be a little early to start planning your Halloween costume this year, but one lawmaker aims to make the holiday safer.'I just don't think anybody had thought about it. It seems to be a relatively new idea. This passed just within the last couple of years in Ohio. It seems to be catching on from state to state and gaining momentum,' Rep. Chad Aull (D-Lexington) told FOX 56 News.
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Lexington lawmaker Chad Aull believes it's one simple way to keep families a little safer in spooky season. House Bill 42 is only a page long, but it would make it illegal for anyone who has committed sex crimes against a minor to participate in a 'Halloween-related activity.'
'Whether that's trick or treating or going to a costume party during and around the holiday of Halloween, specifically,' Aull said.
Kentucky law doesn't have any guidelines about restricting offenders on the holiday. The bill would legally define 'Halloween-related activities' to mean:
'An activity involving minors organized around and concerning the celebration of Halloween that occurs any time during the fourteen (14) days before or after October 31 of each year, including but not limited to:
Trick-or-treating;
A costume party where minors are in attendance; or
Any event involving the distribution of candy to minors.'
'We were very strict and very strategic in how we drafted the bill to make sure we didn't accidentally include anything else,' Aull said.
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Child sex offenders could be banned from trick-or-treating under Lexington lawmaker's bill
Aull is basing this bill around a similar no-candy law recently passed in Ohio. While it covers a broad range of activities, there is a carveout to allow wearing a costume for a legitimate work-related event or the commercial sale of candy and Halloween merchandise—but again, without minors involved.
The first violation would be a Class A misdemeanor, and any following would be a felony. The bill has gained bipartisan backing and is waiting to be heard when lawmakers return in February for the remainder of the session.
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