NJ: Spurred by rape victim, bill says sex offenders shouldn’t get child custody

In March, Lakewood resident Jackie Anselmo started a campaign to restrict parental custody rights of convicted sex offenders. Less than six months later, a bill to that effect has been introduced in the New Jersey Assembly. Bill A-5160, which is sponsored by Assemblyman Sean T. Kean, R-Ocean, would amend existing law to bar “custody of and visitation rights to any child for a person convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child under age 13.” Full Article

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LA: Residents Concerned about Proposed Sex Offender Hurricane Shelter

The word is spreading and folks are hearing about plans to provide an evacuation shelter for sex offenders in the northern part of East Baton Rouge Parish. A new state law requires that registered sex offenders are housed apart from everyone else in evacuations. WAFB’s Paul Gates says he’s talked with folks who live around the site near Zachary and Baker, and they’re not happy. Full Article

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Councilman Wants To Rewrite San Diego Sex Offender Law

San Diego City Councilman Chris Ward says he wants to rewrite an ordinance that puts strict limits on where registered sex offenders can live, as a lawsuit seeks to force the ordinance’s repeal. Ward was one of five council members who voted last month to uphold the city’s “Child Protection Act,” against advice from the City Attorney’s Office. Courts have found similar ordinances both unconstitutional and ineffective at preventing child sexual abuse. Full Article

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Janice’s Journal: A Bill Fails, A New Opportunity is Created

The struggle to pass the most recent Tiered Registry Bill (Senate Bill 421) is over. The Assembly Appropriations Committee stopped the bill yesterday when it refused to release the bill from the committee’s Suspense File. Because the bill was stopped, some registrants are breathing a sigh of relief. For if the bill had passed, they would have been identified as a registrant on the state Megan’s Law website for the first time. Because the bill was stopped, some registrants are in shock, perhaps in tears or worse. For if the…

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Yucaipa Council considers repeal for sex offender ordinance

At the City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 28, the council discussed the consideration of repealing the sex offender residency restriction ordinance. The State penal code currently prohibits residency within 2000 feet of a public or private school, as well as parks where children regularly gather. The city of Yucaipa’s current ordinance is similar to state law, which also prohibits offenders from living within 2000 feet of parks and schools, but also includes daycare facilities. Full Article

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Assembly Committee Stops Tiered Registry Bill

The Assembly’s Appropriations Committee today failed to release the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421) from its suspense file.  As a result, the bill is dead and will not move to the Assembly floor for a vote.        “We are disappointed that the State of California will continue a lifetime registry for virtually all registrants,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “The Appropriations Committee had an opportunity to correct this 70-year-old mistake, but instead decided to continue it.”        The Senate passed the Tiered Registry Bill earlier this year,…

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NC: Johnston County looks for near complete ban of sex offenders from school campuses

Sex offenders are already prohibited from living near schools, but Johnston County is considering completely banning them from campus. That includes parents of students at the schools if they are on the sex offender registry. The proposed policy permits parents on the registry to participate in parent-teacher conferences, provided they receive advance written approval of the school’s principal. Parents can also come to campus at the request of the principal “for any reason relating to the welfare or transportation of his or her child.” Full Article

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CO: Judge Finds Colorado Sex Offender Registry Unconstitutional

A federal court judge in Denver has called the public sex offender registry in Colorado “cruel and unusual punishment.” Full Article Also see: Millard-v.-Rankin-13-cv-02406-Colorado Federal judge holds Colorado registry is punishment; violates Eighth Amendment http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/crime/article/Judge-Colorado-sex-offender-registry-12166975.php https://ijr.com/discuss/posts/964736/colorado-federal-judge-makes-head-turning-ruling-declares-sex-offender-registry-unconstitutional/ Federal Judge in Colorado Rules that the Sex Offender Registry is Unconstitutional http://blogs.findlaw.com/tenth_circuit/2017/09/federal-court-finds-colorado-sex-offender-registry-unconstitutional.html

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FL: Retired Officer Opposes Sex Offender Designation on New Florida Licenses

Shalimar, Florida’s WEAR ran a story on the newly designed Florida driver’s licenses. One surprising opinion about the new license came from a retired parole officer, who commented on the sex offender designation on licenses for those registered. Here’s what he had to say: “The new license turns heads in Okaloosa County; including Don Gatchell’s. He’s a retired parole officer with the state of Florida who worries an old, but remodeled feature – a mandatory sexual offender identification on the card – may be too much. “My honest opinion now…

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