As annoying as the jingle might be, few things signify the arrival of summer more than the sound of an ice cream truck coming down the street. One lawmaker, however, is worried about who could be behind the wheel.

Ice Cream Truck
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Assemblyman Craig Coughlin (D-Woodbridge) sponsors a bill to make sure convicted pedophiles are not driving ice cream trucks in New Jersey.

"The ice cream trucks have that little song that drives most of crazy as they drive around the neighborhood, but it's really something that attracts children and so it's important to protect them," Coughlin said. "If you've been previously convicted of committing a sex offense against a person under the age of 18, the bill would prevent you from selling frozen desserts from a truck."

The assemblyman said he was surprised to learn that his legislation is not already codified in law in the Garden State. He also admitted he isn't sure why the legislation hasn't been approved in the past.

"We teach our children to be mindful of strangers, but when we put them in an ice cream truck with the little jingle, that barrier gets taken away," Coughlin said. "My bill has been up before. We haven't been successful getting it passed. We're going to give it another shot this year."

Under the bill, "frozen dessert truck" means a motor vehicle in which frozen desserts are carried for purposes of retail sale on New Jersey streets. A violation of the bill would be a fourth-degree crime. In New Jersey, crimes of the fourth degree are punishable by up to 18 months in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

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