BATON ROUGE, La. -- Sex offenders should be prohibited from wearing masks to hide their identity at Halloween and other holiday times, a House committee voted on Tuesday.

Sen. Nick Gautreaux's bill would also apply to Mardi Gras, Easter, Christmas "or any other recognized holiday for which hoods, masks or disguises are generally used." Convicted sex offenders found guilty of hiding their identities with masks at those times would face up to three years in prison.

Gautreaux said the measure was necessary to prevent registered sex offenders -- whose photographs and addresses are publicly available -- from using such disguises to hide their identities from children who might otherwise recognize them as a threat.

The House criminal justice committee approved the bill without objection. The bill moves to the full House.

Gautreaux, D-Meaux, postponed a vote on another bill that would require certain sex offenders to undergo chemical castration.

Rep. Joseph Lopinto, R-Metairie, questioned why the measure would apply to people with convictions for crimes not involving sex. As it stands, it would affect those with convictions for crimes including aggravated rape, simple rape and indecent behavior with a juvenile, but Lopinto said he objected to the inclusion of simple kidnapping.

Gautreaux agreed to put off a vote after hearing a similar objection from Rep. Ernest Wooton, R-Belle Chasse, chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee.