Assembly member Melissa Melendez has introduced a bill (AB 884) that would expand the requirement to register for a lifetime to anyone convicted of Penal Code Section 288(a) when the Tiered Registry Law takes effect in 2021. As currently written, the Tiered Registry Law authorizes individuals convicted of the same penal code section to petition for removal from the registry after a minimum of 20 years.
“We must stop this bill!” exclaimed ACSOL Exeuctive Director Janice Bellucci. “If the bill is passed, at least 40 percent of the people on the California registry will continue to be punished for a lifetime due to their requirement to register.”
The bill is expected to be referred to the Assembly Public Safety Committee where it could be heard as early as March 23. This is the first of many steps required before the bill could be passed.
Melendez is a Republican and represents the 67th Assembly district. Her district offices is in Murrieta, California.
First cp offenders and now 288′(a)s. Put any more people in tier 3, they kill the very reason law enforcement supported the original tiered bill. The registry continues to grow. It was supposed to reduce the registry and make it more manageable and so increase public safety. That was the reasoning. Melendez is either really stupid or doesn’t care about public safety.
Not that he is unaware, I am sure, but I wrote a lengthy email to Scott Wiener, who initially championed this legislation. I asked him how to help prevent this partisan attempt to erode the very heart of the legislation he championed.
So much for incrementalism and baby steps..
One reason to why the “tiered” registry was not a good idea. More crimes are simply recategorized into Tier 3. And more people are categorized as “dangerous” when they are not.
884 does nothing for public safety and is pure vengeance. I will help you Janice. I shall stand with you and fight to stop this bill, and as many other bills that I can, so that my children and their children’s children (whether they be 12 or 82 years old) can have a chance again in the USA….Land of the free.
I noticed that AB-884 has no supporting co-authors beyond Melissa Melendez. Perhaps the old method of beating former offenders with a water-hose is finally wearing off. We can hope reason is starting to prevail. Melissa Melendez has a strong hold in her district and will not be easily unseated but at the end of her time as an assemblywoman she can be stunted politically. at that point I will be looking strongly.