Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 5 - CRIMINAL OFFENSES (§§ 5-1-101 — 5-79-101) › Subtitle 2 - OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON (§§ 5-10-101 — 5-18-107) › Chapter 14 - SEXUAL OFFENSES (§§ 5-14-101 — 5-14-202) › Subchapter 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 5-14-101 — 5-14-138) › Section 5-14-128 - Registered offender living near school, public park, youth center, daycare, or church or other place of worship prohibited

(a)
A sex offender who is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act of 1997, §
12-12-901
et seq., and who has been assessed as a:
(1)
Level 3 or Level 4 offender may not knowingly reside within two thousand feet (2,000') of the property on which a public or private elementary or secondary school, public park, youth center, or daycare facility is located; or
(2)
Level 4 offender may not knowingly reside within two thousand feet (2,000') of a church or other place of worship.
(b)
(1)
It is not a violation of this section if the property on which the sex offender resides is owned and occupied by the sex offender and was purchased prior to the date on which the public or private elementary or secondary school, public park, youth center, daycare facility, or church or other place of worship was established.
(2)
The exclusion in subdivision (b)(1) of this section does not apply to a sex offender who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is found guilty of another sex offense after the public or private elementary or secondary school, public park, youth center, daycare facility, or church or other place of worship is established.
(c)
(1)
(A)
With respect to a public or private elementary or secondary school or a daycare facility, it is not a violation of this section if the sex offender resides on property he or she owns prior to July 16, 2003.
(B)
With respect to a public park or youth center, it is not a violation of this section if the sex offender resides on property he or she owns prior to July 31, 2007.
(C)
With respect to privately owned land for which an easement has been granted to the state or a county, city, or town and that is used as part of the public park system of the state or a county, city, or town, it is not a violation of this section if the sex offender resides on property he or she owns prior to July 28, 2021.
(2)
(A)
The exclusion in subdivision (c)(1)(A) of this section does not apply to a sex offender who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is found guilty of another sex offense after July 16, 2003.
(B)
The exclusion in subdivision (c)(1)(B) of this section does not apply to a sex offender who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is found guilty of another sex offense on or after July 31, 2007.
(C)
The exclusion in subdivision (c)(1)(C) of this section does not apply to a sex offender who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is found guilty of another sex offense on or after July 28, 2021.
(3)
With respect to a church or other place of worship, it is not a violation of this section if the sex offender resides on property he or she owns prior to July 22, 2015.
(d)
A violation of this section is a Class D felony.
(e)
(1)
A person who is charged with violating this section shall be ordered as a condition of his or her release from custody not to return to the location where he or she was residing that was located within two thousand feet (2,000') of a public or private elementary or secondary school, public park, youth center, daycare facility, or church or other place of worship until the charge is adjudicated.
(2)
The court having jurisdiction over the charge may order that the defendant be allowed to return to his or her residence before the adjudication of the charge if good cause is shown.
(f)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Church or other place of worship" means a physical location that has a primary purpose of facilitating the meeting of persons in order to practice a religion;
(2)
(A)
"Public park" means any property owned or maintained by this state or a county, city, or town in this state for the recreational use of the public.
(B)
"Public park" includes the portion of any privately owned land over which an easement has been granted to the state or a county, city, or town and that is used as part of the public park system of the state or a county, city, or town; and
(3)
"Youth center" means any building, structure, or facility owned or operated by a not-for-profit organization or by this state or a county, city, or town in this state for use by minors to promote the health, safety, or general welfare of the minors.
Amended by Act 2021, No. 963,§ 3, eff. 7/28/2021.
Amended by Act 2021, No. 963,§ 2, eff. 7/28/2021.
Amended by Act 2015, No. 376,§ 1, eff. 7/22/2015.
Acts 2003, No. 330, § 3; 2007, No. 818, § 1; 2009, No. 1406, § 1.