FRANKFORT — A bill requiring county sheriffs to notify neighborhood residents when a sex offender moves nearby cleared the House Judiciary Committee this week.

        And another bill requiring mayors to provide written reasons for firing top city officials, including police chiefs, passed unanimously in the House Local Government Committee.

        But the bills could be on their way to different fates as they move into Senate committees next week.

        The sex offender notification bill, sponsored by Rep. Jon Draud, a Crestview Hills Republican, has the support of many sheriffs across the state, including Kenton County Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn.

        “I have grandchildren,” he said.

        “I'd want to know if one of these people is living near them, and I'm convinced other people want to know. It's a service I would want my office to perform.”

        But other sheriffs may oppose the bill because their offices aren't equipped to handle the extra work involved in notification. Lawmakers in those areas may vote against it, Mr. Draud said.

        “This bill is necessary because people need to know if a sex offender moves into their neighborhood,” Mr. Draud said. “If we don't have a sheriff's deputy informing them of that, how are they going to know?”

        The Kentucky State Police already maintains an Internet Web site where the addresses of convicted sex offenders are listed. But Mr. Draud argues that not everybody has access to a computer, and even if they do they may not know to check it regularly.

        Under Mr. Draud's bill, a county's sheriff would be required to notify residents living in the same block as a sex offender or within a quarter mile of an offender in rural areas. Schools and organizations serving youths also must be notified.

        The other bill requires mayors to provide a written statement with reasons when terminating a city official, including police chiefs, nonelected officials, paid fire chiefs, city administrators and city clerks.

        The bill, sponsored by House Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Callahan, a Wilder Democrat, is likely to pass the House with little opposition, lawmakers predicted.

        Mr. Callahan said the recent controversy over firings in Villa Hills played a role in the bill but was not the sole reason he sponsored it.

        In late December, Villa Hills Police Chief Michael “Corky” Brown was fired by Mayor Steve Clark, who also that day fired City Clerk Sue Kramer. Citing confi dentiality laws, Mr. Clark has refused to say why the two were terminated and has blocked the release of documentation that may shed light on the matter to City Council and to the news media.

        Some of the mayor's critics on council and in the community say the firings were in retaliation for the police chief's and city clerk's roles in investigations of allegations against the mayor.

        Other cities in Northern Kentucky also have recently lost police chiefs after clashes with mayors and city officials. Mr. Callahan said Hobert Strange, police chief in Wilder and president of the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association, approached him about the problem.

        Mr. Callahan drafted the bill with the help of officials from the Kentucky League of Cities.

        Senate committee votes on both bills could take place next week.

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