CLICK HERE FOR UPDATED INFORMATION (as of 4/16/24) Source: kcra.com 4/13/24 SACRAMENTO, Calif. —California lawmakers next week are set to debate a proposal that would ramp up the consequences for consumers of the child sex trafficking industry. Under California law, purchasing or soliciting a child for sex is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail, or a minimum of two days in jail, and a $10,000 fine. Republican State Sen. Shannon Grove is trying to change that with SB 1414, which would classify…
Read MoreMonth: April 2024
NE: Nebraska lawmakers pass a bill to restore voting rights to newly released felons
Source: apnews.com 4/12/24 OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill Thursday to restore the voting rights of those convicted of felonies upon the completion of their sentences, including prison and parole time. The bill, introduced for years by Omaha state Sen. Justin Wayne, passed by a wide margin in the last year of Wayne’s second term. He is barred by term limits from running this year for a third term. Currently, a person who has been convicted of a felony must wait two years after completing all the…
Read MoreMA: Former Mass. city councilor accused of having explicit images of a child apparently joined Russian army
Source: wbur.org 4/11/24 A U.S. Air Force veteran who fled a charge of possessing sexually explicit images of a child told his lawyer he joined Russia’s army, and video appears to show him signing documents in a military enlistment office in Siberia. Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former elected official in Holyoke, Massachusetts, was expected to enter a guilty plea in Rhode Island in early January, but did not show up to court, according to prosecutors. Last week, video surfaced that appears to show the 28-year-old in Russia and expressing support for…
Read MoreFL: Sexual assault survivor demands change as federal data shows rise in cases aboard cruise ships
Source: news4jax.com 4/7/24 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A sexual assault survivor is demanding cruise lines do more to protect their customers as new federal data shows sexual assaults rose on cruise ships in 2023. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported more than 100 sex crimes on ships embarking and disembarking in the U.S. In February 2006, Laurie Dishman said her life changed forever after booking a cruise from California to Mexico with her best friend Michelle. “We had boarded the ship and didn’t know what awaited us, we just thought we…
Read MoreNH: Former teacher pleads guilty to sexually assaulting an adult student in 2021
Source: wmur.com 4/2/24 [ACSOL is posting this showing a new law where the victim’s age not a factor] BRENTWOOD, N.H. —A New Hampshire teacher of the year finalist pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexual assault charges involving a student at a school where she worked. Former Sanborn Regional High School teacher Bridgette _____, 40, admitted sexually assaulting an 18-year-old student in April and May 2021. The case involves a relatively new law in which the age of the victim isn’t a factor, even if the student is an adult. The law…
Read MoreCO: Neighbors protest facility run by Colorado mental health agency over sex offender claims
Source: cbsnews.com 4/6/24 Northglenn neighbors were out in their community to voice their opposition to a mental health facility run by the state of Colorado. which is set to open in a residential area. They say their biggest concern is that there may be sex offenders housed near families’ homes and schools. “If places like this are going to be coming into our communities, the people who live here need to know about it, and we want to have a say in it,” said Danielle Luciano. Read the full article (Write and…
Read MoreIL: Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Law Limiting Where Child Sex Offenders Can Live
Source: wttw.com 4/6/24 SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that a state law restricting where previously convicted child sex offenders can live is constitutional, although it left open the possibility that it was improperly applied to one individual. In a 6-0 decision, the court found the residency restriction “does not infringe upon a child sex offender’s fundamental rights” and that there was a “rational basis” for the state to restrict where a person convicted of such a crime can live. “The legislature has a legitimate interest in protecting…
Read MoreLA: Proposal to make vasectomy mandatory for convicted sex offenders advances to the House
Source: wdsu.com 4/5/24 BATON ROUGE, La. —The mandatory vasectomy bill passed committee at the state capitol Thursday. HB 166 would require convicted sex offenders to undergo a mandatory vasectomy procedure. The author of the bill, Rep. Delisha Boyd, says this is a measure to help protect women. Rep. Boyd also wrote a bill to reduce penalties for possession or use of marijuana drug paraphernalia, proposing the offender should not be fined more than $100. Read the full article
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: It’s a Game of Jenga
Let us be clear. The ultimate goal of ACSOL is to eliminate the registry. The only question is how do we do it? For many years, ACSOL has identified three paths toward elimination of the registry – education, litigation, and legislation. ACSOL has traveled and continues to travel down all three paths. Many people want a definite answer. They want to know which path will ultimately lead to the end of the registry. My honest answer is I don’t know. And the fact is I don’t care. That is, I…
Read MoreWI: Gov. Tony Evers signs law requiring more sex offenders to be placed on registry for life
Source: jsonline.com 4/2/24 MADISON – Wisconsinites convicted of multiple counts of a sex offense will be required to register as sex offenders for life even if the counts were part of the same incident, under a bill signed by Gov. Tony Evers. The law effectively nullifies a 2023 state Supreme Court ruling holding that multiple convictions stemming from the same criminal complaint do not necessarily classify someone as a repeat offender. The governor’s signature brings resolution to a question officials have debated for years. In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled…
Read MoreGeneral Comments April 2024
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of April 2024. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil. This section is not intended for posting links to news articles without additional relevant comment.
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