Dupage Policy Journal

State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) said a bill she sponsored to ban child sex offenders from working at fairs and carnivals was recently signed into law.

"Legislation I sponsored was recently signed into law and it will soon be against the law in Illinois for a child sex offender to work with any carnival, amusement enterprise, or fair where people under the age of 18 are present," Mazzochi posted on Facebook.

Last year, the Illinois Department of Agriculture had to fire Miller Spectacular Shows in the first year of its ten-year contract because Miller had hired a convicted child sex offender to operate a children's ride at the Illinois State Fair. Although current Illinois law prohibits sex offenders from working at county fairgrounds, it does not extend to cover state fairgrounds, according to a release.

Jason Flynn, 41, was operating carnival equipment at the Illinois State Fair just six months after he was released from prison for sexually abusing a 12-year-old child, WCIA reported. "Despite background check protocols and state laws designed to keep child sex offenders away from children at fairs," Flynn was hired by Miller Spectacular Shows and worked at the State Fair for at least four days.

Gov. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3019 into law at the end of May, News Channel 20 reported. “The safety of fairgoers, particularly children, should be tantamount,” Mazzochi said. “This law will close the loophole that allowed him to find work with children.”