Reacting to concerns that bus routes could be close to homes of registered sex offenders, State Senator Dean Florez (D-Shafter) has introduced a bill that would require school districts to move any bus-stop at least 2,000-feet away from any sex offender's home.

Florez introduced Senate Bill 150 Friday morning. It's called the "Predator-Free Safe School Bus Route Act of 2007." The law-maker has been worried bus routes, since finding a bus-stop in his hometown that's a half-block from a registered sex offender.

The bill would require all school districts to do a yearly check of sex offenders on the Megan's Law website. Districts would then be required to move any bus-stops that are too close.

"Knowing Sen. Florez and his concerns, I know he's well-intended in this," Kern Superintendent of School Transportation Administrator Don Fowler told Eyewitness News.

But, Fowler says bus officials are talking over the idea -- and they do have concerns and questions.

"I can't comment on what the danger may be of walking by a registered sex offender's home," says Fowler, "But I do know the dangers of moving a bus stop to a location where maybe traffic or other conditions exist that will hold dangers to students."

Eyewitness News checked with a number of local school districts Thursday to get response to the Florez proposal. Many districts said they need more information, or didn't have a spokesman available to comment.

In the Greenfield School Disrtrict in south Bakersfield, Assistant Superintendent Ken Chichester told Eyewitness News he also has concerns about moving bus-stops -- and finding other locations that would meet safety and other requirements.

Chichester also notes that many sex offenders on the Megan's Law website are listed as "specific address not subject to disclosure." Chichester wonders how schools will check on these offenders.

Eyewitness News asked Sen. Florez about that. "If law enforcement is involved in discussions with school districts, they'll have better information and would be able to adjust bus routes in a much better way," says Florez.

He notes the proposed law would require that school districts form a task force with local law enforcement agencies to discuss child safey in relation to school bus routes and stops.

But from the Superintendent of Schools Office, Fowler worries about getting special education students to and from school. Some of those students must be picked up at their homes.

"If a sexual offender is living next-door to somebody -- I can't move that bus stop because it's mandated where they do that," says Fowler.

But, while school officials want more information on the Florez proposal, the Alliance Against Family Violence came out with immediate support.

"There's a number of very ill and frightening individuals in our community," says Alliance Director Louis Gill. "We need to do something about protecting our kids."

Sen. Florez has set up a website to gather information from any parents concerned about school bus-stops and sex offenders. The site is: safebusroutes.blogspot.com.

Florez says Proposition 83 just passed by California voters in November now requires that any registered sex offender may live no closer than 2,000-feet to a school. Prop. 83 is now facing a court challenge on whether the provisions only apply to sex offenders released after the law was passed.

But, Florez says if the public wants sex offenders 2,000-feet from a school -- the offenders should also be that far from bus-stops, where he believes children are even more vulnerable.

The senator's bill would also requires the State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to notify a school district of the placement of a sexual offender within 2,000-feet of a bus stop.

Still, moving the bus-stops would be the responsiblity of the school districts under the proposal. From the Superintendent of Schools office, Don Fowler hopes transportation officials can be brought into a discussion on this idea.

"We need to obviously sit down and put some heads together that are in the industry, and know the realization of what we can and can't do. And let's see what we can do to make things better."

Sen. Florez has told Eyewitness News, at the very least -- he wants his proposal to spur discussion and more attention to the issue of registered sex offenders living near school bus-stops.