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 ordinance prohibits registered citizens from visiting schools, bus stops and commercial establishments that have playgrounds.”
The first lawsuit in this series was filed on March 24 against the City of Pomona. Subsequent lawsuits have been filed against South Lake Tahoe (March 31), National City (April 8), Lompoc (April 21), Sacramento County (April 30) and Santa Ana (May 7).
“The California Court of Appeal has determined that ordinances which prohibit the presence of registered citizens in public and private places are preempted by state law,” stated CA RSOL Board Member Chance Oberstein. “Those decisions were upheld on April 23 when the California Supreme Court denied review.”
Media
http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/sex-offender-suing-city-of-wasco-sex-offender-ordinance-violates-constitutional-rights-051614
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Wasco-sued-over-sex-offender-ordinance-259487381.html?tab=video&c=y
Why doesn’t the City of Wasco obey the law? They sure get upset if the average person fails to.
have any of those cities filed a reply to the lawsuit?
I don’t get it; cities through the state decided to pass presence restrictions throughout the state, based on much rhetoric that has been proven to be not honest or reasonable, and probably one or two incidents. If a registrant violated these presence restrictions the consequences were not even handed and usually disproportionate to the infraction. We were expected to follow these restrictions to the letter. Now that these presence restriction ordinances have been ruled illegal by the state supreme court these people in these cities are acting as though the law doesn’t apply to them. What’s wrong with these people? Should they even be in positions of trust? Especially after displaying their total disrespect for the rule of law? I wish I could peer into their malfunctioning little minds to see what’s gone wrong in there.
I know we are the California RSOL but because the laws are unconstitutional at both the State and federal level. How does filing in a federal court have to do with state court’s rulings. About the federal court filings… can’t we since it is in federal court file against a violation that is taking place in another state as violating the federal constitution? I.E. San Antonio TX. with their parks ban.
A sheriff in Florida I believe filed against a citizen of Arizona for sending a signed copy of a book to him in the mail. The guy had to go to Florida to be arrested, tried and convicted. Why can’t these ordinances be filed against across state lines? Janice or Chance. Please help!
Why does it seem that “Elmer Fudd” is the name of the mayor?
“Shhhh! I’m hunting for Wasco-ly Wegistrants!”