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Read the press release here.

State Senate Passes Bill Banning Sex Offenders from Family Shelters

By Eddie Small | January 28, 2015 5:56pm
 The State Senate passed a bill that would ban sex offenders like James Bryant and Curtis Bolden (L-R) from staying in family shelters.
The State Senate passed a bill that would ban sex offenders like James Bryant and Curtis Bolden (L-R) from staying in family shelters.
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DCJS

THE BRONX — The New York State Senate has passed a bill banning high-level sex offenders from staying in family homeless shelters.

State Senator Jeff Klein, sponsor of the bill, had called for a ban on sex offenders in family shelters after a rapist and child molester were found to be living at the Crystal Family Residence, a shelter at 555 Hutchinson River Pkwy. in Throgs Neck.

The measure passed 52-0 in the Senate on Monday but still needs to pass in the State Assembly, where it is sponsored by Assemblyman Matthew Titone.

“Allowing high-level sex offenders to stay in family shelters where vulnerable women and children are trying to get back on their feet is not only troublesome but dangerous," Klein said in a statement. "With more than 60,000 homeless New Yorkers sleeping in New York City shelters and thousands more out on the street, we need to take every measure to protect those in our care.”

The legislation requires that sex offenders who have either a moderate or high risk of repeating their crimes be housed in shelters without children or adult-only shelters.

Registered sex offenders James Bryant and Curtis Bolden were recently discovered to have been staying at the Crystal Family Residence. Bryant was convicted of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl in 2004, and Bolden was convicted of rape in 1980.

The shelter is located within Bronx Community Board 10, and Board Chair Martin Prince praised the State Senate's passage of Klein's bill.

“We fully support this positive change directed at the safety and welfare of residents at the Crystal Family Residence," he said in a statement. "This is a significant first step in making New York City shelters safer for the women and children who reside there, but there is still work to be done.”