The Senate today, in a vote of 24 to 10, passed the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421). Prior to the vote, the bill’s author — Sen. Scott Wiener — explained why a tiered registry is necessary. His views were supported by Sen. Nancy Skinner, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, as well as co-author Sen. Joel Anderson.
During his presentation, Sen. Wiener describe the current registry as broken and outdated. He added that the registry, which includes more than 100,000 people, is so large that it is useless.
Sen. Anderson subsequently stated that there are too many people on the registry today and as a result those who pose a current danger are camouflaged by those who don’t. Sen. Skinner talked about the significant adverse impact that the registry has upon both registrants and members of their families. She said that registrants often suffer from public humiliation, stigma, unemployment, homelessness and even vigilante violence.
Sen. Ben Allen praised Sen. Wiener for his courage as author of SB 421. He added that the bill is necessary in order to fix the state’s registry that currently includes individuals who urinated in public decades ago.
“Today we saw courage in action as senators on both sides of the aisle — Democrat and Republican — voted in support of a tiered registry,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “We thank the 24 senators who voted in support of SB 421 as well as the many co-sponsors of the bill, including Equality California, the CA Sex Offender Management Board and the victims rights group CalCASA.”
In order to become law, SB 421 must be passed by the Assembly where it will be considered by the Public Safety and Appropriations Committees prior to a floor vote no later than September 15, 2017. If the Assembly passes the bill, it must be signed by the Governor no later than October 15, 2017.
YESSSSSS!!!!!!
Only 13 more years to register I guess lol
This is a (HUGE) step in the correcting the system *question* if fully passed and signed to law, the people that have 20+ years on registry, would/will everything related the (iml) be excempt/not applicable while traveling? would car registration/information from local police also be non existing while running license plates?
I have so much hope right now. This is monumental in itself. So now is the time for the big push.
This is awesome news. I’m feeling very encouraged. Thank you, Janice and all for getting us this far. I hope this thing succeeds!
This is great news and a big step in the right direction. Thank you Senators Wiener, Skinner, and Anderson. Thank you Janice for your tireless work. I will continue to do everything on my part to help support this movement.
To ALL of the ACSOL Crew…Congrats! Job well done!
Brave lawmakers.
The registry under the new scheme would still be wasteful and unnecessarily cruel. The wholesale liberation of pre-1987 registrants is absurd given the rest of the law.
But the new scheme would be less cruel, less of a waste of public resources, than what we have now.
If it becomes law, I’ll celebrate. I’ll still be on the registry, but I’ll celebrate knowing that some others will be taken off.
Congratulations to ACSOL. Your organization is a great American entity. In the face of today’s criminal governments, organizations such as yours are needed more than ever.
I am happy for any family that is able to get off of the big government Harassment List. But I still feel like narrowing the number of people on it is really not a great thing. I feel like the less people on it, the easier it is for people to not care about them. I can see so many people say “Oh, we can’t harass and ostracize 1,000,000 families! But we can 50,000! That’s something we can all get behind.”
No, public big government Harassment Lists of former bad guys (and girls) is not an acceptable thing in America. And I will do anything I can to lower the quality of life for anyone who supports Lists. Those people are not Americans. They are people I can, have, and will exploit for the gain of my family and friends.
Thank you ACSOL for your efforts and support!!!! SB421 gives me HOPE I havent had in many years!!!
Great news! Many thanks to Janice and all ACSOL members who have contributed their efforts! Even tier 3’s like me can celebrate the increased probability of justice for our fellow CA registrants.
Regardless of the final outcome of this legislation for those RCs in CA, I think it would be very, very smart and helpful to write to thank the various state senators and representatives for voting as they did. A little encouragement goes a long way and, though you may disagree, voting to help RCs is a HUGE political risk. ANY vote to roll back some sort of crime measure–real or illusory–is a risky move for a politician.
Heck, I’m not even a resident of CA and I’m tempted to write to thank them!
–AJ
It just occurred to me that one of the best ways we can thank Janice, ACSOL, et al, is via the “Donate” button at the top-right of this page. Even (tax deductible!) $1.00 can do something. And no, I’m not a shill nor am I associated with ACSOL in any way beyond posting thoughts, rants and raves here. I’m just a non-CA RC who is extremely thankful for advocates like this and ACLU-MI, and want to support them as I can, when I can.
–AJ
P.S. Yes, I did truly put my money where my mouth is and donated.
Congrats to Janice, ACSOL, and everyone that fought so hard for this!
Even with the bill’s faults, it is a big step and those battles will be fought later. I truly hope the judges aren’t as bad as the one’s in Texas that only let 1/3 of those off the registry even after being approved by therapists and the Texas Sex Offender Mgmt board.
I look forward to Janice and her team getting this done and then being able to shift focus on to all the other issues like IML and hopefully the core registry itself and truly take this on at a national level.
QUESTION:
There are many juvenile offenders on this registry. If a 16 year old boy has sex with a 16 year old girl by law the charge is RAPE PC 261 (law states… minors can NOT give consent). In many cases the exact charge is 261(a)(3) Rape By Force of Intoxication. Meaning you were drinking with the young lady, had sex, and got caught. In many cases the juvenile court will charge the juvenile offender as an ADULT. The question is if you were a minor when the offense was committed BUT tried as an ADULT would you fall under the 5 year and 10 year juvenile registration requirements OR the 10 year, 20 year, and Life adult registration requirements?? Are the juvenile registration requirements still applicable to juvenile offenders who were tried as an adult??
Thank You Janice, senators and everyone who made this possible. God bless you all.
The current effort to pass a tiered registry appears to have legs. I’ve been on the registry for 24 years and haven’t had any police contact more serious than a traffic ticket. I lived everyday for 24 years with no hope that I would be given credit for time served. Unfortunately, after 24 years of being on the registry and experiencing ALL it involves (Legally, socially, mentally, and spiritually) I admit to suffering from emotional emasculation. So, after years of hearing about the possibility of a tiered registry and after years of experiencing the last minute opposition from self serving politicians and the hysterical public, I can’t get overly excited. I want it badly; but, I can’t get overly excited. I rely on all of you to be excited for me. Your excitement gives me hope. That’s what years of being on the registry can do to some us. I want this effort to be successful so no more Californians will ever be forced to live their lives without hope that they will one day be free of having their lives ruined by a website.
Thanks Janice for your tireless efforts.
Thanks Janice and supporters, you’re a Godsend, no matter what happens . I’ve been a little sarcastic when we’ve had bad news, but still appreciate a place to turn to and vent and get good info.
This really is a big step towards sanity in this state! I applaud the 24 senators who voted in support of this bill. Definitely the author of the bill Senator Scott Wiener, co-author Senator Joel Anderson, and Senator Nancy Skinner have put their better judgement on the line and risked any kind of backlash from colleagues or the public, to speak out on our behalf and for “doing the right thing” “doing the compassionate thing”!
GREAT THANKS to Janice, her team and everyone who helped get this bill so far forward! We can’t stop here. We need to keep working after SB 421 becomes law and then start fixing it little by little until there is no more suffering and shame for any of us! I have faith that one day soon we will witness no one on PUBLIC REGISTRY ever again.
Congrats! This is wonderful news! I think people like Timmr should be ashamed of themselves for being so negative!
I’ve been on the registry for 20-21 years for a now expunged battery with summary probation! I’ve just learned a PC 243.4 (a) misdemeanor is a tier 1! That’s great news!
If I’m not mistaken, a Tier 2 and petition to be a Tier 1 and possibly a Tier 3 a Tier 2! Don’t ruin it for everyone else!
Take action! We could still be banned from beaches and parks! Negativity will get you no where
well good luck to the people that will benefit from this , I am lev 3 so hopefully we can get down to getting some of us 3’s off that have clean from any further pumped sex crimes for 30+ years ,of course I am good for protecting my self from witch hunters and cops taking there side , I Know I should have just let these people just put my family and myself in danger and all that , but that’s not going to happen , but that don’t make me a danger ! I should get a medal , instead I got big fat fines , and had to even pay for an anger mangment program lol ,for protecting me and mine ! AHHH! but anyway good job to Janice and the rest of our team
Anyone who wishes to watch the Senate procedure and vote on this bill can watch it here:
https://vimeo.com/219916952
The final vote, as recorded on the legislative web site, is 27 – 11 (with 2 “no votes recorded”). That is a significant margin.
Interesting data gleaned from the Senate vote: Connie Leyva voted FOR SB-421, with Lara not voting on it. Republicans for: 6, against 7.
Interesting…Lara did not vote at all. He was once the author of the bill and Leyva voted yes.
I’m a bit confused. If I’m not mistaken, a 288(A) and 243.4(A) would set me to tier 2? This was over 21 years ago. Can someone clarify this please?