CA Public Safety Committee Approves Senate Bill 680

Source: ACSOL The Assembly’s Public Safety Committee today approved an amended version of Senate Bill (SB) 680, which if enacted, would require individuals convicted of statutory rape to register for 10 years.  Unlike the original version of the bill, the current version of SB 680 would not be applied retroactively.  Instead, the bill would apply only to those convicted of PC 261.5 on or after January 1, 2026. During today’s hearing, four board members and three members of ACSOL testified in opposition to the bill.  Also testifying in opposition to…

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Sex Crimes Laws as Moral Panic. The goal of these policies is public safety, but is that attainable?

Alissa R. Ackerman   Jul 15 Moral panic occurs when people react to a societal problem with intense fear or outrage toward something they perceive as a threat to their values or safety. Moral panics can happen whether a perceived threat is real or exaggerated. Media accounts fuel and amplify our emotions, and our feelings then turn certain people into villains or monsters. Nowhere is this phenomenon more prevalent than in the study of sex crimes and the people who commit them. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there were…

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Publishing Private Phone Number May Be Tortious, Says Court in Case Brought by Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful (Kevin O’Leary)

Defendant had 100K X followers, and as a result O’Leary “was flooded with unwanted communications.” Reason: Eugene Volokh | 7.14.2025 5:01 PM From Judge Beth Bloom’s order today granting default judgment in O’Leary v. Armstrong: Defendant posted on X Plaintiff’s private cell phone number and encouraged the public to harass Plaintiff, stating “[h]ave you ever wanted to call a real life murderer?! You can NOW! @kevinoleartyv is waiting for your call.” Following the post, Plaintiff began receiving communications from strangers who had obtained his number directly from Defendant’s post. On March 20, 2025…

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