The Assembly has just voted on AB 625 and defeated it by 41 to 19. It’s hard to believe that elected officials don’t understand the current challenges faced by the state’s 92,000+ registrants such as unemployment, homelessness and vigilante violence. These challenges are of course experienced by family members as well. California RSOL attempted to educate them by lobbying efforts in October, November, December and January. Many thanks to Frank and Marshall who lobbied with me during the first months and with 8 others who joined us in January. And kudos to Ray and Ken who distributed fliers in Sacramento on both Jan. 26 and Jan. 30. Finally, thanks to Dana who did a great job designing the fliers as well as the CA RSOL brochure.
Please know that this is JUST THE BEGINNING. We are dedicated to this cause and passage of a bill that will end the lifetime registry in California!!! We don’t want to remain in the company of Alabama, South Carolina and Florida as 1 of only 4 states in the nation with a lifetime registry. Our civil rights movement was dealt a setback today, but WE SHALL OVERCOME.
Our next meeting will be held on Feb. 18 in L.A. at the ACLU Building, 1313 W. 8th Street, at a new time. We will start at 1 p.m.
I could not locate the 2 comments listed under this article. The link just brought me here.
I am very disappointed that this bill was defeated. I sincerely hope that our Assembly will review and consider the large amount of empirical research available that clearly states that the current trend of enacting more punitive, restrictive laws is NOT effective, is expensive, and often ruins lives.
I am not one bit surprised this bill was defeated. Alas, the public is not one bit interested in protecting the rights of 290s, and very interested in seeing them re-incarcerated. “With malice for none….charity for all, let us strive on to finish the work we are in.” The defeat of this bill is a good illustration that there is still much work to be done. I’m grateful for RSOL, and am hoping for more meetings that I can attend a bit farther south. I’m ready to get busy!