BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — (KBAK/FOX58) California State Senator Brian Jones, the Senate Minority Leader, has voiced strong support for Senate Bill 286, which seeks to exclude some violent sex offenders from being eligible from elderly parole. Jones suggested that the bill should not even require debate, stating, “We should not have to have a Senate bill for this because it should have never been passed in the first place.”
Jones emphasized the significance of the legislation, saying, “This is such a major policy change that affects the entire state.” He expressed surprise at the number of detractors, remarking, “It is amazing how many people or organizations, I should say, in California oppose this kind of sensible parole reform.”
Among the opponents is American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) California Action, which criticized the bill, stating, “The rationale for slashing the elderly parole program in half is rooted in a sensationalized notion that people convicted of murder or sexual offense pose a higher risk upon release.” The ACLU pointed to California’s recidivism rates for elderly parole, which are lower than the national average, with a 2.2% recidivism rate, arguing that it saves taxpayer money to house the would-be parolees.
Keith Wattley, Executive Director of Uncommon Law, also opposed the bill, stating, “This bill would have us spend millions of dollars to incarcerate people decades after any violence risk has subsided. But we cannot afford to take such a misguided approach.”
In response to critics of the bill, Jones challenged them, saying, “What I say to the people who oppose this bill is, if you are so Gung ho about this, why don’t you let these perpetrators, these violent criminals move next door to you?”
Jones highlighted the widespread support for SB 286 following the passage of Proposition 36 in 2024, which increased penalties for various crimes. He said, “People in California want to be safe and they are expecting their elected officials to respond appropriately and I think that is what is happening.”
You can read the bill text here.
Source: KBAK/FOX58
just another jack ass california politician.
Not surprising that a representative from the armpit of California would propose this bill