Beware of the Ice Cream Truck

A jurisdiction in California may join Illinois and New York in barring sex offenders from driving an ice cream truck:

Last July, Perris residents learned that a registered sex offender was working as an ice cream truck driver in their community.

Even though Perris is in Riverside County, the incident raised enough concern that the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last week, with Chairman Paul Biane absent, to draft an ordinance requiring sex-offender background checks before issuing a business license to drive or operate an ice cream truck.

According to Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, there are 250 ice cream trucks operating in the county.

Similarly, Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucaipa, has introduced a bill to the Legislature that, if approved, would prohibit registered sex offenders statewide from obtaining business licenses to operate ice cream trucks.

The measure requires that any city or county licensing agency immediately reject applications from offenders.

Sex offenders are prohibited from working as masseuses in California.

New York and Illinois also have laws prohibiting sex offenders from operating ice cream trucks.

Members of the board expressed concerns about sexual predators preying on young children.

"All one needs to do is turn on the television or pick up a paper and find out there are unfortunately far too many," Supervisor Dennis Hansberger said.

In those jurisdictions with loitering exclusion zones, I would think these laws are unnecessary.  I can't imagine a person could be an ice cream truck driver without doing business or at least driving by parks, schools, or other places where kids might stay.  If the law actually limited the class of sex offenders who have committed sex acts against children, I wouldn't have a problem with the restriction.  However, as usual, the statute paints a brush too broadly.

Comments

[America land of the free?]

If the law actually limited the class of sex offenders who have committed sex acts against children, I wouldn't have a problem with the restriction. However, as usual, the statute paints a brush too broadly.

EXACTLY, It's time for law makers to FIX THE SEX OFFENDER MESS. You guys certainly used a very BIG brush and did a very sloppy job. THE PEOPLE ARE LEARNING THE TRUTH AND ARE SEEING WHAT A MESS THERE IS. It is time to make amendments to these laws that are based on true facts and real statistic. Reduce the size of the brush or get different brushes. But stop this insanity.