Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sex Offenders Can't Provide Child Care Under Senate Bill

Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport) says state law didn't bar sex offenders from being child care providers.
Lauren Chapman/IPB News
Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport) says state law didn't bar sex offenders from being child care providers.

The Indiana Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would close a gap in state law concerning sex offenders.

Sexual predators and those who commit offenses against children are barred from working or volunteering on school property or at a public park. But Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport) says state law doesn’t stop them from being child care providers, or living with someone who is.

“And sadly, this came from a fact pattern in the state of the Indiana where someone went on Facebook who was on the registry and advertised himself as a babysitter for your children,” Head says.

The bill closes that loophole. It passed unanimously and now goes to the House.

Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state.
Support independent journalism today. You rely on WFYI to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Donate to power our nonprofit reporting today. Give now.