Illinois makes participating in any holiday activities involving kids a crime

America see Predators everywhere

When I read a news media article on this bill, I thought it was just another silly Halloweenitis law barring registered citizens from wearing costumes. But this bill goes beyond that, adding a vague prohibition against "participat[ing] in a holiday event involving children under 18 years of age". This bill has a great potential for abuse, since the law is not limited to a certain list of prohibited activities.

Santa Clause: Sexual Predator or Big Brother Government Agent?
My money's on the latter.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=3579&GAID=11&GA=97&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=65419&SessionID=84


Synopsis As Introduced

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to participate in a holiday event involving children under 18 years of age, such as distributing candy or other items to children on Halloween, wearing a Santa Claus costume on or preceding Christmas, being employed as a department store Santa Claus, or wearing an Easter Bunny costume on or preceding Easter. Exempts from a violation where (1) the sex offense conviction which brought the person into the child sex offender category was criminal sexual abuse in which the victim was at least 13 years of age but under 17 years of age and the offender was less than 5 years older than the victim; or (2) the child sex offender is a parent or guardian of children under 18 years of age that are present in the home and no non-familial minors are present.