Susan Ashline (Schenectady Co, N.Y.) - One upstate county has rolled back its restrictions on where sex offenders can live, and now. that county is asking state lawmakers to address the issue.

Neighbors often ring the alarm bells when a sex offender moves in... arguing that they shouldn't live near buildings where kids hang out.

And now in Schenectady County... legislators are asking the state to look at restricting where sex offenders can live. This…after the county reversed a provision would have prevented sex offenders from living less than 2,000 feet from schools, daycares , parks, pools or playgrounds.

Convicted sex offender John Dooley said, "That would be difficult, because there's a lot of daycares. There's a lot of schools."

To Dooley, a provision like that would force him from his Greece home that borders a school for wayward kids. Dooley is labeled a “High risk” sex offender.

Dooley said, “There should be restrictions, but for those of us that…doing our dandiest to get back into work and a lifestyle…I don’t really see a need for it."

Assistant District Attorney Doug Randall, who prosecutes sex abuse cases, says he agrees with restrictions on a case-by-case basis. That's what the court is doing now.

Randall said, “It's based on the acts that the person committed. It's based on their history. It's based on the need to protect the community."

State Assemblyman David Koon said he's been pushing since 2004 for statewide restrictions on where sex offenders can live. He says he'll reintroduce legislation again this year, but he has to decide on the distance. It could be anywhere from 500-feet to a quarter mile.

Koon said his bill would exempt New York City, since avoiding a building accessed by kids, would be nearly impossible.

Doug Randall sees one more hitch -- distance.

"Is it measured in a straight line?” Randall asked. “Is it measured in the way a person would have to walk to that?"

Koon said he's ironing out those details for a bill that he hopes to get passed next year.

Thirteen counties statewide have residency restrictions for sex offenders. Monroe county is not among them.