Wasco Ordinance Challenged in Federal District Court [updated with media links]

The City of Wasco was sued today in federal district court challenging its sex offender ordinance. This lawsuit is the eighth in a series of lawsuits filed during an 8-week period. “Despite a series of letter warnings starting on January 20, the City of Wasco has failed to repeal its sex offender ordinance which violates both the state and federal constitutions,” stated CA RSOL President Janice Bellucci. “The Wasco ordinance denies the constitutionally protected right to public information through its prohibition of visiting the city’s public library. In addition, the…

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Lawmakers call for review of sex offender oversight

Top state and federal legislators on Wednesday called for investigations of sex offender supervision in response to a high-profile case involving two suspected Orange County serial killers. State Senate President Darrell Steinberg formally requested a statewide review of electronic monitoring and voter-approved housing restrictions. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, plans to request a federal probe focused on the local case. Full Article

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Third-grader removed from Fremont school amid claims he sexually harassed a girl

FREMONT — A third-grade Hirsch Elementary student accused of sexually harassing a female classmate has been removed from his school, a Fremont district official said Tuesday. Fremont Unified School District Superintendent James Morris announced the decision about an hour after the 8-year-old girl’s mother handed out 200 fliers outside the Irvington district campus, calling for the boy’s removal from the school. Full Article

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Canada: Sex offenders in the neighourhood rate less concern than traffic and noise

When he thinks of his kids safety, John Neary, thinks about speeding cars and urban traffic, not sex offenders. A member of the Beasley Neighbourhood Association, the Hamilton doctor has two children under the age of five. “It’s never occurred to me that sex offenders should be high on the list of problems that make me worried for my children’s safety,” said Neary. Full Article

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NY: Violent offender registry bill passes NY Senate

ALBANY, N.Y. — A bill that would create a statewide registry of violent felony offenders has passed the Senate. “Brittany’s Law” would require certain convicted felons to register with the state’s Department of Criminal Justice Service after being released from prison and have their names added to a statewide violent felony offender registry, similar to the sex offender registry. Full Article

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Laguna Hills may reverse sex-offender park ban in wake of court rulings

LAGUNA HILLS – The City Council on Tuesday will consider reversing an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from city parks and private parks run by homeowners associations.   … … Also a factor for Laguna Hills is the threat of litigation by the California Reform Sexual Offender Laws organization and the American Civil Liberties Union if the ordinance is not repealed, according to the staff report. Full Article Staff Report

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LA: Lafitte Police Department honored for sex offender arrest

Fisher Middle High students recently made a huge banner and a batch of fresh, homemade fudge brownies to say thank-you to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and to the Lafitte Police Department for their arrest of a sex offender. The banner, signed by 100 Fisher students, and brownies were personally delivered by five Fisher Middle students. Full Article Admin Note: Initially we were not sure if this was satire. Appears to be real?

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International Megan’s Law moves through Congress

The International Megan’s Law cleared a major hurdle Friday when the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously passed it. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) has worked to pass the bill, which would expand the system of registering and tracking sex offenders to the international community, since 2008, when he first introduced the legislation. It was previously approved by the House in 2010. Full Article

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Living with 290: Certificate of Rehabilitation is possible

In CA it it possible to apply and receive a COR. I was granted in March a COR and no longer am required to register as a 290 citizen. So heads up folks. There’s relief for some who apply. Contact the Public Defender’s office in you CA. city to see if you are eligible for this valuable relief. Lawyers just want your money. Public Defender will do this at no charge. Apply for expungement first. 10 years clean record is a requirement.

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PA: Megan’s Law sex offender list grows under new state rules

…Neither the judge, nor the prosecutor, nor ____’s defense lawyer raised the possibility that he would one day be required to register as a sex offender, a transcript of the proceeding shows. That’s not surprising since at the time, the crime ____ admitted to — second-degree misdemeanor indecent assault — didn’t invoke Megan’s Law, which aims to protect the public from sex offenders by publishing their photos, addresses and other information on a website. … But that has changed due to a controversial new law pushed by Congress. Ten months after…

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