The California State Assembly is currently considering legislation (AB 2086) that would require municipal jurisdictions that enact local ordinances that restrict the movement of registered citizens to post notices of those ordinances. If passed, failure to post such notices would be punishable by a fine of $50,000. The bill was amended on March 29 and introduced by Assemblyman Tom Amminao on February 23. Editor’s Note: Current state law allows counties and cities to pass local laws that prohibit registered citizens from visiting parks, beaches and other recreational areas. The laws passed…
Read MoreYear: 2012
City of Cypress Adopts Punitive Ordinance
The Cypress City Council unanimously adopted a punitive ordinance that would deny the civil rights of registered citizens despite a recommendation from the City Attorney to delay further consideration in order to conduct further research. The City Attorney’s recommendation was consistent with a request from California RSOL that was submitted in writing as well as addressed during the City Council meeting on March 12. In its letter and oral testimony, California RSOL questioned the constitutionality of the proposed ordinance as it pertains to residency restrictions, park bans, hotel stays and…
Read MoreCA RSOL Featured in New Video
California RSOL is featured in a new video released by Reason.TV. The video is about 7 1/2 minutes long and focuses upon the state’s life-time registry, including the recent attempt to create a tiered registry within California. The video includes remarks from and footage of California RSOL organizer Janice Bellucci and State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano as well as an undisclosed California couple. That couple is now married, however, the husband is a registrant convicted of statutory rape for having consensual sex with his then underage girlfriend. The video can be found online at http://reason.tv/video/show/how-sex-offender-registries-fa Reason…
Read MoreCalifornia RSOL Opposes Punitive Ordinance Proposed by City in Orange County
California RSOL will publicly oppose an ordinance proposed by the City of Cypress that would prohibit all registrants from (1) living with 2,000 feet of a school, park or day care center, (2) being in close proximity of a child safety zone, (3) staying in a hotel that already has a registrant guest, and (4) celebrating Halloween. The Cypress City Council will consider the ordinance on March 12. “This is the most comprehensive and the most damaging ordinance yet considered by a city,” stated state organizer Janice Bellucci. “The ordinance…
Read MoreCA RSOL MEETING IN L.A. ON APRIL 21
California RSOL will return to Los Angeles on April 21 for a regular monthly meeting. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. and be held at the ACLU Building, 1313 W. 8th Street, Los Angeles. The meeting is open to registrants, family members and supporters only. The meeting will include presentations by attorneys, pscyhologists and registrants who have successfully challenged residency restrictions and parole conditions. There is no charge to attend the meeting. For additional information, call (805) 896-7854. View Larger Map
Read MoreMISSOURI QUESTIONS REGISTRY, RESIDENCY RESTRICTION
Editor’s Note: The article below was published in the National Catholic Review. It’s amazing to read that the state of Missouri is considering such far-reaching measures. Let’s continue to educate our lawmakers in California so that they, too, will consider and pass similar legislation. Should we reform the sex offender registry? by Mary Ann McGivern on Feb. 20, 2012 The Missouri legislature is debating a bill, HB 1700, that would end restrictions on where convicted sex offenders can live. It would remove juveniles from the public registry. It would create…
Read MoreL.A. MEETING FOCUSES ON CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, FUTURE ACTIONS
California RSOL continued its outreach to registrants, family members and supporters in Los Angeles on February 18. About 50 people attended the meeting held at the ACLU building which focused upon issues challenging registrants as well as potential future actions of the organization. The group discussed the recent defeat of Assembly Bill 625 as well as the opportunity to provide input for legislation next year that would create a tiered registry for those convicted of sex-related offenses. The group also discussed the status of the Mosley case, which challenges the…
Read MoreCHILDREN, FIANCEE SPEAK OUT ON YouTube
Women Against Registry, a nationwide non-profit organization, recently posted three videos on YouTube of family members telling how they have been harmed by the registry. To view the videos, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/innocentvictims1?feature=mhee [youtube]http://youtu.be/1sbjCHypAp4[/youtube] [youtube]http://youtu.be/DJk1Zb6N7-U[/youtube] [youtube]http://youtu.be/uZWl6ObXOCY[/youtube] [youtube]http://youtu.be/1IZy-DiDQfo[/youtube] [youtube]http://youtu.be/NT2LE3WZih4[/youtube]
Read MoreNew Civil Rights Movement born in L.A.
A new civil rights movement has begun with the first meeting of the CA Reform Sex Offender Laws organization in Los Angeles on October 1. The meeting attracted more than 50 people, including registered persons, family members, attorneys and psychologists from as far away as San Francisco and San Diego. One man came with his “victim”, who is now his wife. The atmosphere was electric as people shared their experiences about how their civil rights have been denied. The group discussed how to work together to restore civil rights for…
Read MoreRecommended Reading
There are several good books to read about sex offense laws as well as the lives of persons forced to register. The following books are known and recommended. All can be ordered on the Amazon website. Sex Offender Laws: Failed Policies, New Directions – Richard G. Wright We’re All in this Together – Frank Udall Lindsay Sex Panic and the Punitive State – Roger Lancaster Lost Memory of Skin – Russell Banks Treating Adolescent Sex Offenders – Charlene Steen Unprecedented, How Sex Offender Laws are Impacting Our Nation – J.B.…
Read MoreMeeting in LA on Feb 18
Our next meeting will be held on February 18 in L.A. at the ACLU Building, 1313 W. 8th Street, at a new time. We will start at 1 p.m.
Read MoreCOURT OVERTURNS CITY’S LIBRARY BAN FOR REGISTRANTS
Editor’s Note: The ruling below is encouraging and could be used in any future challenge to California libraries that refuse to allow registrants from visiting public libraries. DENVER, Jan 20 (Reuters) – A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that a policy barring registered sex offenders from public libraries in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was unconstitutional, a decision that could have reverberations across the nation. “The First Amendment includes a fundamental right to receive information,” a three-judge panel of the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote. “By prohibiting registered…
Read MoreRSO LAWS HARM FAMILIES
“The Accidental Sex Offender” (Marie Claire) On July 28, 2011, in In The News, by tvadmin …. It was a classic teenage love story. He was a football star, and she was a cheerleader. They met, they fell in love, they started having sex. And then the cops got involved. Fifteen years later, they’re still paying the price. Frank Rodriguez cannot coach his children’s soccer teams. He can’t get a job at a major corporation. He can’t leave the state without registering with local law enforcement. A married father of…
Read MoreASSEMBLY DEFEATS AB 625
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…
Read MoreAB 625 AMENDED BY ASSEMBLY
AB 625 was amended by the Assembly during its deliberations on Thursday, January 26. The amendment, proposed by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, would create a fourth tier of individuals that would only be required to notify law enforcement officials when they moved. The amendment was proposed in order to attract additional votes for the bill. The amendment passed 32 to 16 after being opposed by Assemblyman Hagman of Orange County. A vote on the amended bill is scheduled for Monday, January 30.
Read MoreVOTE ON AB 625 DELAYED
Voting on Assembly Bill (AB) 625 was delayed due to the absence of several supporters of the bill, according to staffers in the office of Assemblyman Ammiano. The bill is expected to be voted upon either Thursday, January 26, or Monday, January 30. The delay provides an opportunity to provide further input into the office of Assembly members. Please call the office of the Assembly person who represents you. A list of Assembly members, including phone numbers, can be found online at www.assembly.ca.gov.
Read MoreCA RSOL SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES LOBBYING EFFORT
California successfully completed its group lobbying effort in support of Assembly Bill (AB) 625 that would end the state’s lifetime registry for many but not all registrants on Wednesday, January 18. Three teams of registrants, family members and professionals met with a total of 45 legislators and/or legislative staffers. CA RSOL received a warm welcome in many of the legislative offices and was commended for speaking out on this topic. In its lobbying effort, CA RSOL brought updated information to the legislative offices on topics such as recidivism and the…
Read MoreBOARD RECOMMENDS CHANGES TO RESIDENCY LIMITS
The California Sex Offender Management Board recently issued a report that questioned the effectiveness of residency restrictions. The report noted an extremely low recidivism rate for sex offenders (3.25 percent for parolees and 5 percent for those who completed parole) and concluded that most sex offenses are committed by individuals who are not on the state’s registry. The report also noted an increase of more than 100 percent in the homelessness of registered individuals. This increases rather than decreases the safety of communities, according to the Board. The full report,…
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