Updated July 1, 2019

The Tennessee legislation makes it illegal for many sex-offenders to be alone with their own children.

The law was spurred by Giles County Sheriff Kyle Helton and is likely to be felt more widely in coming months as Tennessee implements the new law.  

Helton  said that Alabama’s strict laws against former sex offenders were driving them over the border, and he wanted to put a stop to it.  

According to Joey Hensley, Helton talked to him about introducing a bill that would match Alabama’s ban on living with children.

Helton’s lobbying paid off and Hensley introduced the bill, which banishes people convicted of an offense involving someone under 12 from their homes if they have a child living there who’s a minor.

On May 29, the Tennessee Department of Correction sent a letter to 78 people on the state sex offender registry advising them that they would need to pack up by today (Monday) or face arrest and prosecution.