More than 50 registrants, family members and supporters successfully educated dozens of state legislators and legislative staff members during CA Lobby Day on March 6. The education efforts were made by participants in 12 groups that each had three pre-arranged meetings. Some of the groups also participated in drop by meetings when or more of members of the group were constituents of a legislator.
“We shared important information with legislators and staff members about necessary improvements to the Tiered Registry Law,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “That information included recommendations from the Sex Offender Management Board which the legislature created for the purpose of making recommendations to the legislature.”
Because the year 2024 is a Presidential election year and the second year of a two-year legislative session, a bill that includes the proposed improvements to the Tiered Registry Law is not expected to be introduced or considered this year. The legislature is expected, however, to take action on the proposed improvements next year provided that a legislative author and a non-legislative sponsor can be identified.
The Tiered Registry Law that was passed in 2017 was authored by Senator Scott Wiener during the first legislative session in which he served. The sponsor for that bill was the former Los Angeles District, Jackie Lacey.
“ACSOL thanks each and every person who participated in this year’s Lobby Day during which important information was shared with legislators and their staff,” stated Bellucci. “Next year’s Lobby Day will be even more important and could span two days of lobbying.”
Due to the legislative calendar for 2025, Lobby Day next year is expected to be held in early February before the deadline for the introduction of new legislation.
Lobby Day 2024 was a great success! We even had good weather this year. Hope everyone who reads this makes plans to join Lobby Day 2025 in February next year. And please bring a friend.
Thank you to all who participated in this, and to ACSOL for organizing the effort. Legislators are people, and people need education to make informed decisions. Without accurate information, they will make all decisions in ignorance and myth. Without educators providing you with the truth, myth can continue to masquerade as fact. This community knows all too well the results of that.
My gratitude to all who helped to lead these horses to water, now let us hope they will drink.
Excellent work and thanks to all. For those interested here’s a link to an amazing lady who is received a government grant to help people rebuild with a criminal history. Link to her organizations website. and her blog in Scotland
CASH GRANT Scottish sex scandal teacher launches new venture after scooping public funding
I attended the Lobby Day for the first time ever. I plan to do so again. I really felt that our voices were heard in these meetings. We were able to bring up the impact of Registration Laws and how they impact us all. The people we met with, were very attentive and took notes during our meetings. Many of them had no clue on how the Registration affects everyone. If you have time in the future, please step up and we all need to hear from you and we need your participation. Nothing changes without stepping up and being heard! God Bless Janice and her Staff for all that they do!
Thanks to all 50 who “showed up, stood up and spoke up” at Sacramento Lobby Day!
Once again Lobby Day was a great experience and I want to thank my Team members, Dave, Mike and Sean for doing a great job of getting our message to the Legislature.
It was my second Lobby Day and I felt that it was easier than last year. The legislative staff we spoke to were attentive to the information and even asked multiple questions. Will definitely go again next year! Thanks for the opportunity Janice and all that you do!!!
Is CA the only place these events happen? Why are the majority of news articles about CA or a select group of other States? What about registry issues in the other 45 (give or take a few) States that never see a headline? Idaho, the Midwest, far NE, i. e. Maine, New Mexico to name a couple?
Would it be possible for ACSOL to post Lobby Day training materials or the studies / data / research used for discussion with legislators? It would be helpful for the rest of us to use to clearly and succinctly communicate with our legislators on the topic. I know there is a ton of info shared on this site and others, but to be effective we need to get our message across in a strong and powerful way, but with a limited attention span (usually).
Thanks to all who continue to work hard on behalf of all registrants and families.
We need a Lobby Day in the Grand Canyon State
Once again I couldn’t make it, I’m kinda in position were my life completely revolves around the registry and because of this I couldn’t make it.
It was my first Lobby Day, and I had the privilege of being in Frank’s group which encompassed a superb group of caring people. It was a good experience. Most of the legislative staffers seem to not be aware of CASOMB and what was taking place on this issue. It was educational for me, but it was equally so for these staff members who have the responsibility to inform the legislators. Janice and the Board (I think that these members need to also be acknowledged as most of them are not on the registry but “care for the cause” and were present) need to be thanked.
I fully understand the person’s comment about ACSOL being mainly California only (Remember, it is a big state), but the organization seems to be branching out via helping to file lawsuits as they are doing currently in states such as Missouri and Arkansas. It is also fighting the SORNA issue which is federal and can eventually impact everyone. It should be noted that there are various state groups and national ones that interconnect. The Florida Action Committee is currently connecting with ACSOL which brings together efforts from “Sea to Shining Sea.”