Legislation from state Rep. Matthew Bierlein that works to protect children was advanced with bipartisan support in the Michigan House on Wednesday.

House Bills 5425-26 further strengthen the state’s Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA) by prohibiting registered sex offenders from working or volunteering at businesses that provide services primarily to minors. These places of business would include childcare facilities, summer camps, dance or martial arts studios, tutoring services, youth sports venues, bowling alleys, laser tag centers, escape rooms, and other businesses that allow for unsupervised access to individuals less than 18 years of age during activities.

“There has been alarm and dismay from parents who learn after the fact that their son or daughter was at a place where a registered sex offender happened to be working and is regularly around minors,” said Bierlein, of Vassar. “We have current gaps in our laws that allow for these situations to happen and it’s concerning. This isn’t about putting people out of work. This is about establishing needed safeguards to protect our kids. These reforms are critical for families and will provide transparency.”

Under the plans, sex offender registrants would receive written notice of the employment restrictions when they initially register and during each subsequent verification process. A SORA registrant who violates these parameters would be guilty of a misdemeanor resulting in a fine or jail for one year. Second and subsequent violations would be classified as a felony.

Parents can find a publicly accessible list of people in Michigan convicted of state or federal sex crimes that is maintained by the Michigan State Police. An online version of the registry is located under the services tab on the state of Michigan’s website and information is also available by phone. Michigan also has the Offender Tracking Information System, which is a free search service maintained by the Michigan Department of Corrections, as well as the Michigan Internet Criminal History Access Tool, which is also run through the Michigan State Police and has a small fee for users.

The proposals now move to the Senate for consideration.

PHOTO INFORMATION: State Rep. Matthew Bierlein speaks on House Bills 5425-26 on Wednesday, April 29 at the state Capitol.