By Police1 Staff
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — An ordinance protecting children from registered sex offenders on Halloween has been overturned after city council said it wouldn’t stand up against lawsuits.
CBS Los Angeles reported that the Simi Valley City Council voted to overturn a law that prevented registered sex offenders from answering their doors for trick-or-treaters, decorating the outside of their homes or having outdoor lighting on from 5 p.m. to midnight on Halloween.
The law was enacted in 2012, but two lawsuits were filed that claimed it was unconstitutional. City officials recommended the repeal because they claimed the law was hard to defend.
A new strategy was recommended by the city to keep children safe. Their city website is now linked to the state’s Megan’s Law site, which lists registered sex offenders in the area, according to Ventury County Star.
However, police said 68 of the city’s 165 registered sex offenders are not listed on the site, which excludes those convicted of certain crimes, such as indecent exposure.
Police added that they monitor all of the registered sex offenders, whether they are listed or not.