With Halloween right around the corner, children will put on costumes and pretend to be their favorite fictional characters while hoping to bag as much candy in the neighborhood as possible while trick-or-treating.
The popular October holiday also brings several reminders about child safety from checking your child’s candy haul to ensuring they aren’t approached by strangers or anyone who may harm them.
In many states, there are laws that prohibit sex offenders from participating in Halloween activities. However, Iowa is not one of those states.
Does Iowa’s sex offender law address Halloween?
While there are several things that Iowa law does not allow sex offenders to do, the state law does not prohibit sex offenders from handing out candy at their homes.
Iowa law also does not require sex offenders to identify their residences by using signage or by keeping their porch lights off.
What restrictions does Iowa place on sex offenders?
Iowa law does not allow sex offenders to be present at elementary or secondary school campuses without written consent by the school’s administrator or the administrator’s designee, unless the offender attends the school as a student. This law also applies to child care facilities.
Sex offenders are also not allowed to loiter within 300 feet of schools unless they attend the school as a student. This applies to child care facilities as well.
Iowa law does not allow sex offenders to be employed in any capacity at local or state fairs, children’s arcades, amusement centers, or facilities that provide programs or services for children.
Sex offenders also may not work at child care facilities, public libraries or any place that is mainly used by minors, including playgrounds, play areas, swimming pools, recreational or sports-related areas, or beaches.
Those restrictions would likely keep sex offenders in Iowa away from carnivals at schools or any place with Halloween activities that also provides programs or services for children. It wouldn’t prohibit them from attending some neighborhood or community events.
How to check Iowa’s sex offender registry
Before heading out to do any trick-or-treating, parents are encouraged to check the Iowa Sex Offender Registry at iowasexoffender.gov.
The registry’s map search feature allows parents to plug in any address, including their own homes, and get a report of any known sex offenders within a specified radius. The website also allows parents to print a summary list with addresses and registrants’ photos.
There are more than 7,000 active registrants in Iowa as of Oct. 28, according to the registry.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Can sex offenders hand out candy for Halloween in Iowa? What the state law says
Reporting by Emery Glover, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
