***Senate Public Safety Committee Hearing on May 12*** – The California legislature yesterday struck a blow against all registered citizens. That blow is passage of Senate Bill 267 (SB 267) by the Senate Governance and Finance Committee. Despite testimony in opposition to the bill from the ACLU, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, Alameda County and California RSOL, the Committee passed the bill unanimously.
If SB 267 becomes law, cities and counties will be authorized to prohibit registered citizens from being present in or even near public places (parks, beached, libraries, museums, etc.) as well as private places (movie theaters, fast food restaurants, bowling alleys, etc.).
If SB 267 becomes law, registered citizens will again be required to navigate a minefield of local laws for which no signs have been posted. If SB 267 becomes law, registered citizens could pay the price of spending up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or both for each violation of any one of those laws.
All is not lost. There is hope. We have three opportunities to stop SB 267 from becoming law although each step is increasingly difficult.
First, SB 267 could be stopped at the Senate Public Safety Committee hearing on April 29. California RSOL lobbied this week in the offices of the members of that committee and will testify at that hearing. More needs to be done, however, and it needs to be done by YOU! Yes, you, who are reading this column.
YOU need to write and send a letter to every member of the Senate Public Safety Committee and you need to do it today. After you have written and sent the letter, you need to call the Senators’ offices. There is no time to waste.
Second, SB 267 could be stopped on the floor of the Senate. This is a lot more difficult than sending a letter and making a phone call. In fact, it will require at least 21 Senators to vote in opposition to the bill.
Finally, SB 267 could be stopped in the Governor’s office. This will be the most difficult task as the Governor is not known for his support of registered citizens.
We can do this! There are more than 100,000 registered citizens in this state and each citizen has at least two family members or friends who could join them. Let’s make our voices heard in the State Capitol!!
[Attached is a draft letter (Senate Letter – SB 267 – April 2015) to the Senate Public Safety Committee and below a list of its members including mailing addresses and phone numbers]– Janice Bellucci
Read all of Janice’s Journal
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CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Senator Loni Hancock, Chair
State Capitol, Room 2082
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4009
Senator Joel Anderson, Co-Chair
State Capitol, Room 5052
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4038
Senator Mark Leno
State Capitol, Room 5100
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4011
Senator Carol Liu
State Capitol, Room 5097
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4025
Senator Mike McGuire
State Capitol, Room 5064
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4002
Senator Bill Monning
State Capitol, Room 313
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4017
Senator Jeff Stone
State Capitol, Room 4062
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4028
I will too !
If we get 20 RCs to an earmarked fund, we can reach a great number of fellow RCs. Multiply that by 3 as family should be involved as the registry has impacted families also. Janice, what do you think?
I am surprised that I actually got a response from Senator Mark Leno; perhaps because I am in his district. I also personalized my comments. He said he would “keep [my] comments in mind when the bill comes before [him] in the Senate,” and not to hesitate to contact him in the future.
Tomorrow I will be going to the Sacramento Capitol Museum for a research project. I will also be hand delivering my letters to the senators above.
Could you argue to the California Supreme Court that this is a blanket ban against registered citizens who committed crimes against minors, thus against its ORDER? Could you file a Motion to Show Cause, why these legislators should not be found in contempt for violating the court’s ORDER? Maybe this would stop this bill in its tracks?
Way I see it, is that the blanket only got smaller, but it’s still a blanket ban. The Court said such broad strokes were unconstitutional. To pas such a bill would be contempt in my opinion.
I’m tired of being OVERWHELMED for others to ENJOY. I do know what it is like and I just want to die.
Folks, the only public legacy that the Runner has is Jessica Law. Since Prop. 83 is wobbling under of the weight of truth, they are like angry cats in a corner and they will do anything to keep it out of the toilet so their names will be flushed away.
The letter writing might work, they did the same thing in Texas at first, but I do not think the response justified the cost, I Myself mailed 100s of letters, I was happy to do this, the point is for some reason so many did not respond, but you could contact TX voices and ask Mary if it was worth it. Certain cities were covered instead of state wide. If some of you there could speak with some of the treatment providers in your state some might allow information to be passed out, also some registration offices here will pass out cards etc if you have them printed.
Well, I just returned from a day trip to Sacramento. I hand delivered letters to each senator on the Committee on Public Safety. Not only did I include the letter, I also included and highlighted parts of U.S. Constitution. One additional thing I included was my own backstory with a photocopy of my picture. I was hesitant at first, but I felt as though I needed to humanize it especially when most politicians and other ignorant sheeple imagine some kind of troll. I don’t mean to sound conceited, but I am good looking, in good shape, and I dress well. No one would ever believe that I am a registrant because I don’t fit their idea of a 290 registrant. I wrote in part:
I included my current picture because it is my wish that you see the face of a sex offender. It is not the monster hiding behind bushes waiting to snatch a child. It is the face of someone’s child, someone’s sibling, someone’s friend. It is the face of a future parent who wants very much to be a part of their children’s lives. However, with the current blanket restrictions against all 290 registrants, my family and I are barred from enjoying life that other Americans take for granted. Murderers, gang members, violent felons have more rights than I have. Please remember this face and all other registrants like me when you consider legislative bills that unconstitutionally restrict the rights of registrants and their families. Remember this face and all other registrants like me when the legislature decides to listen to their CA-Sex Offender Management Board and considers a tiered registration if not a total elimination of 290 registration.
If this passes I want separate but equal theaters, restaurants, beaches, etc. I’m talking about like a SO AMC 18 Theater and a SO In-N-Out right next to all the other locations. Double it up. And if it isn’t equal bring out the lawsuits.
I mailed seven letters yesterday. I added a couple of personal notes and also emphasized the statistics and facts again that are simply left out of the equation each time a bill like this is being introduced. Keeping fingers crossed. I truly hope that these senators will realize the absurdity of these bills. It is so clear that the majority of registered citizens will not re-offend. Who in their right mind would want to come back to all these crazy laws? They have no more interest in re-offending than any other law abiding citizen.
I called the offices to leave my opposition to the bill. Even if you don’t have time to print and mail the letters, CALL the offices. It only took me 2-3 minutes per call and they only asked for Zip Code, City, and for or against. If you are afraid to reveal yourself for this, the very least you can do is call and put the numbers up in opposition of the bill!
Is it ok for me send these letters and make the calls even if I’m on probation? My wife and other family members will be sending letters. I’d hate for this law to pass and not allow us to enjoy and live our lives with our kids like any other normal family.
Spread the word! Took 4 minutes and 32 seconds! If you have 5 minutes (and I know you do) call them!! And have your family and friends who are willing do the same!
– I’m calling regarding SB267
– I’m opposed to this bill
– My name is _____
– I’m calling from (city/zip)
Some won’t even ask for all the information.
So easy! Do it now if you haven’t!
I encourage everyone to reach out directly to Marc Steinorth, one of the authors of the bill. You can write to him directly on his website. The guy is a businessman, father, and has a heart, apparently, because he responded personally to my email. Be brief and respectful, tell him your story, put a human face on this, we are not monsters. We are people who messed up, paid the price and now society wants to keep heaping on punishments long after our sentences. Please take them time to do this.
Just to reiterate: Sending postal mail has PROVEN to be effective! This is how AB 207 was pulled from committee. Since we know it works, hopefully we can DOUBLE the letters sent. Please up your game! Postage may be pricey, but the letters, by law, must be kept on record, and they DO add up. Let’s do it!
I sent Marc Steinorth a message through his website, and I will let you know if he responds. I agree, letters, calls, and whatever else you can think of will make a difference.
My letters went out today regarding SB 267 to Senator Leyva and Assemblyman Marc Steinorth. Top that off with had another person call the Senate Committee today opposing SB 267. We have to keep trying to let our voices be heard.
I have seven letters written and sealed, and I will send this 2nd batch in the morning.
I “came out” (as an RC) to two more friends and both sent letters to the committee, Leyla, and Steinorth. Add those to the letters sent and calls made by me and five other family & friends. I hope our voices are finally getting through.
Please everyone who can come to the Senate Committee meeting please, please come. These are your rights and lives SB 267 is threatening. We had a lot of people at the Assembly Committee meeting two weeks ago and it helped Bill Brough see that WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE! But I’m sure Connie heard all about it and if I were her I’d try to stack the room with SB 267 supporters. PLEASE if you can come join us, do it! It’s not hard, it’s actually kind of fun, it’s totally interesting and you don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. Just sit on our side. I bet once you get there you will want to stand up for yourself and if so all you say is “I’m opposed to this bill”. That’s it, 5 words to save your rights, “I’m opposed to this bill”. If we are united we can defeat this bill!
There’s going to be some there in public service that will need to take a step back and be careful for your possible actions against the Constitution …there are numerous issues involved for your taking on the Constitution ….just ask orange county , calif …on one of them…..courts have already told you so you are aware of your possible actions against the Constitution ……..this ain’t an orange county courtroom backhall conference where you can get away of fixing words………open public procedure will have people see this too is recklessly WRONG.
I called today.
Phone calls made by myself, my family and my friends.
I just made the calls…and it felt AWESOME!
Less than five minutes, and the smallest, simplest, easiest thing any of us can do in this fight.
Stay powerful, everyone.
More phone calls made this morning also.