NW Illinois News

Illinois State Senator Li Arellano has raised concerns over Senate Bill 2544, which he claims would allow convicted sex offenders to reside within 250 feet of schools, playgrounds, and daycares. In a Facebook post dated March 17, Arellano said that the bill "puts children in danger."

"This bill lets convicted child sex offenders move within 250 feet of schools, playgrounds, and daycares—not 500 feet—and removes home daycares from protected areas," said Li Arellano Jr, according to Facebook. "It also reduces penalties and shortens offender registration times. This bill puts children at risk by prioritizing predators. It's reckless, dangerous, and a threat to our communities."

Senate Bill 2254 proposes to reduce the mandatory distance between convicted sex offenders and certain facilities if the offender's address was registered before the facility's establishment. According to the bill's webpage, it was filed by Senator Kimberly Lightford on February 7 and referred to the Assignments Committee. The bill also specifies that offenders who move within the same building are not required to relocate.

Screenshot of State Senator2 Li Arellano's March 17 Facebook post | State Senator Li Arellano Jr.'s Facebook page

The Illinois Sheriff's Association opposes this legislative change. According to ABC20, Jim Kaitschuk, the Association’s executive director, expressed a preference for maintaining the current 500-foot distance requirement. Kaitschuk also voiced concerns about altering check-in frequencies from weekly to every 90 days and suggested exploring intermediate reporting options for sex offenders.

A report from Edwardsville Intelligencer highlighted that Illinois had the fifth-highest population of sex offenders as of May 2021. Citing a study from SafeHome.org, it noted that over 32,541 individuals were listed on Illinois' sex offender registry at that time.

Arellano previously served as mayor of Dixon starting in 2015. During his tenure, he focused on fiscal integrity and economic development. After completing two terms as mayor, Arellano returned to private business ventures and now owns two Jimmy John’s franchises and other businesses. He also serves as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves with the 317th Engineer Construction Company in Homewood, Illinois.