Title
A Resolution opposing 2009 Senate Bill 548/Assembly Bill 759, proposing to prohibit cities, villages and towns from enacting and enforcing sex offender residency restriction and child safety zone ordinances.
Body
WHEREAS, 2009 Senate Bill 548/Assembly Bill 759, introduced on February 18, 2010, proposes to prohibit a political subdivision, including cities, villages and towns, from enacting an ordinance or adopting a resolution that specifically affects the placement or residency of, or areas that may not be entered or exited by, an individual based on that individual's status as a sex offender; and also proposes to prohibit a political subdivision from enforcing any such ordinance or resolution it has already ordained or adopted in the years prior to the effective date of the proposed law; and,
WHEREAS, such proposed legislation if adopted would prohibit the continued enforcement by Wisconsin cities, villages and towns of their existing sex offender residency restriction and child safety zone ordinances, and prevent other Wisconsin cities, villages and towns from enacting such regulations in the future; and,
WHEREAS, the City of West Allis is one of many Wisconsin municipalities to have adopted ordinances providing for local sex offender residency restrictions and/or establishing child safety zones, which ordinances were ordained following the review of a voluminous legislative record, containing other state and local municipality laws, and reports, studies and articles from across the Country; and following a history of substantial citizen interest and input, including public meetings which were attended by hundreds and hundreds of citizens, all voicing or concurring in the need to protect the community from the evils of sex offender re-offense; and,
WHEREAS, the West Allis ordinances providing for sex offender residency restrictions have been in effect and enforced for several years and the West Allis Police Chief has opined that the ordinances are an extremely important public safety tool and that their enforcement is necessary to protect the public and primarily, the children; and,
WHEREAS, each of the 1,850 Wisconsin cities, villages and towns are unique; and each Wisconsin city, village and town should be entitled to provide for the health, to provide for the safety and to provide for the welfare of its citizens and its children under its home rule authority.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of West Allis, Wisconsin, that the City of West Allis strongly opposes 2009 Senate Bill 548/Assembly Bill 759 and any other legislative effort which proposes to prohibit or inhibit the rights of Wisconsin municipalities and their citizens to provide for their own health, safety and welfare in the regulation of sex offender placement and residency.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be provided to Governor Doyle, area State Legislators, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, and the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities.
ADM\ORDRES\ADMR388