Gore amendment accepted to close gap for sex offenders: ‘When it comes to the safety of Hoosier children, there can be no loophole’

Today, State Rep. Mitch Gore (D-Indianapolis) successfully amended House Bill 1307 to close a loophole in Indiana’s laws governing sex offenders. Gore’s legislative language was accepted unanimously by members of the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.

Currently, Indiana law only restricts convicted sex offenders from employment at venues where one could reasonably expect to encounter children, such as schools, public parks, or childcare providers. Gore’s amendment would bring Indiana in line with the majority of states in the US by expanding that definition to include settings where offenders:

• Have more than incidental or occasional contact with a child without the child’s parent, guardian or custodian present;
• Have supervisory or disciplinary power over a child; or
• Are expected to touch a child on a more than incidental and occasional basis.

“It is time to close the loophole that allows convicted sex offenders to be near children. Period. Full stop,” Gore said. “Current Indiana code only prohibits sex offenders from being employed in jobs focused on children but leaves out parameters for roles where they may be alone with a child, expected to touch a child, or have supervisory or disciplinary power over a child. 

“When it comes to the safety of Hoosier children, there can be no loophole. I would like to thank the members of the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code for adopting this amendment to fully protect our most vulnerable population, our children, from known predators.”