FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — A new lawsuit filed against Fresno County claims its latest ordinance is ‘unconstitutional’.
The Board of Supervisors is being challenged for its ordinance that is to take effect on Thursday, which seeks to limit the number of sex offenders per single household to a maximum of six.
The ordinance has been contentious since the Board introduced it, with people on both sides voicing strong opinions.
This lawsuit was filed by a group based in Sacramento that advocates for the rights of registered sex offenders. They allege this ordinance is unconstitutional and that it will force registrants to end up homeless. But the county is standing behind its move, saying it’s a matter of public safety.
“At the heart of the matter with this, just making sure when it comes to sex offenders and a lot of homes that are starting to pop up in neighborhoods that we don’t have an over concentration of sex offenders in any one particular location,” says Nathan Magsig, Fresno County Supervisor.
But a new 12-page lawsuit filed against the County alleges the board’s ordinance violates ‘a sex offender’s right to live, work, assemble, and move about the state.’
The plaintiff, The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws Inc, claims the ordinance is preempted by state law.
“The fact is, people who are required to be registered are indeed human beings, and they need a place to live. The fact is, Fresno County appears to be ignoring those basic facts and instead is trying to banish people required to register from Fresno County,” says Janice Bellucci, the attorney who filed the lawsuit.
At the center of the controversy are transitional homes in Old Fig Garden. The supervisors claim they’re a hub for registrants and pose a public safety threat.
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But the lawsuit pushes back on that idea, claiming the ordinance will only harm public safety by increasing homelessness of these individuals.
One example in the suit is plaintiff John Doe, a parolee who is required to live in Fresno County. The suit alleges that under this ordinance, this person would have to leave their transitional home and will most likely end up homeless.
“Is there any law like this across the state? In any other county or jurisdiction, doing something like this? No, and if there were, we’d be challenging that as well,” says Bellucci.
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Go get ’em, Janice!!! Thank you for all you do!
Going to be interesting to hear how the public is specifically endangered in great detail by the county. In the end, all the county has is speculation at best on what they have built in false fear. Hope the citizens are pissed in the end on how their tax dollars are going to be spent in defense of an unconstitutional law while the politicians try to garner political cred for votes at the same time.
In light of the toxic political environment, it takes a lot of skill, Janice, to portray registrants in a manner that many will find a more neutral backdrop, especially amid the toxicity of local news media and how Fresno County villainized every person required to register. Granted, the news lady had that annoying, overly dramatic news voice, that exaggerates matter, Janice did a great job cooling things off so Fresno County looks like a bunch of scammers. In the end, this whole debacle might end up being a net positive in gaining sympathy, for registrants, and for ACSOL’s cause, so that we move toward every person having at least a second chance in life.
My favorite part is when the news lady asked if any other county had a law like this; and Janice said, “No. And if there were we would be challenging them as well.” LMAO
How Do People End Up on the Sex Offense Registry?
Surprisingly, some are added for actions that many wouldn’t expect, such as:
· Downloading explicit content or taking nude photos of oneself
· Consensual sexual activity between minors
· Innocent physical contact—like hugging a child in a way someone deems inappropriate
· Public acts like mooning, flashing, or even urinating in public.
Age Range of Those on the Registry
· Youngest: 6 years old
· Oldest: 101 years old
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Who Pays for the Registry? You do. Taxpayer dollars fund the system.
Cost to Operate the Registry Nationwide: $40.1 billion ($40,100,000,000.00).
(Police and Sheriff units nationwide, DOJ, SMART, US Marshall, Justice Assistance,
US General Services, Dept of State, National & State Registries, Offender Watch ++)
———————————————————————————————————————
The Sex Offense Registry is for LIFE – no matter the offense.
Who is NOT on the Registry?
* Serial killers * Mass shooters * Terrorists
* Infamous figures like Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, Stalin,
Mussolini, Bonnie & Clyde—would NOT be on the Sex Offense Registry.
————————————————————————————————————————
Crimes that should be on a Public FELON Registry:
· Arson * Bombing *Animal abuse
· Assault with a deadly weapon
· Bank Robbery *Retail Robbery
· Burglary *Home Invasion
· Car Theft *Carjacking
· Drug Traffic & Manufacturing
· Cybercrime *Fraud *Forgery
· Domestic violence *Rape
· DUI *DUI manslaughter
· Elder abuse *Stalking
· Adulterated poisoned food.
· Embezzlement *Extortion
· Gang-related violence
· Grand theft * Larceny *Mail Theft
· Human trafficking *Kidnapping
· Homicide *Murder *Manslaughter
· White-collar crime *Insider trading
· Prostitution *Sextortion *Scams
· Rioting *Terrorism *Torture
· School, mall, and mass shootings
A Call for Change –– A REGISTRY FOR ALL people who have committed a felony or A REGISTRY FOR NONE
*a FELON REGISTRY exists* – open to police, sheriff, law enforcement, probation and government workers – but NOT the public.
Make the Felon Registry PUBLIC like the Sex Offense Registry.*
Share the facts. Share the message. Fairness. — Equality — Reform Protect the Public
A REGISTRY FOR ALL people with a felony conviction or A REGISTRY FOR NONE. Stop Discrimination
Once again, the fat lie is being promoted that People Forced to Register (PFR) are dangerous.
I wish someone would challenge this lie because it is unlawful for anyone to make a defaming statement with no evidence that it is true like the guy in the video.