The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) filed a motion for summary judgment on November 18 in its pending case that challenges current federal SORNA regulations. The U.S. Department of Justice is required to file its opposing brief to this motion no later than December 23. The PLF will have a final opportunity to support its motion in a response due no later than January 24, 2025. A hearing on the motion is scheduled to be held on March 10, 2025. In its motion, the PLF argued that the SORNA regulations are…
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Last chance to sign up for the live ACSOL Conference is Tuesday, September 17 at 5:00 PM PST
Sign ups for this year’s virtual conference will be paused tomorrow on Tuesday, September 17, in order to ensure that everyone who has signed up for the conference will be provided a link prior to the conference. Individuals can still sign up for the conference all day today on Monday, September 16, and until 5 p.m. (Pacific) on Tuesday, September 17. Click here to sign up for the live conference. Click here to see the schedule. Sign ups will also be available after the conference for those who want access…
Read MoreMO: Court Asked to Clarify Status of Missouri Halloween Sign Requirement
Source: ACSOL A motion has been filed asking a federal district court to clarify whether registrants in Missouri will be required to post a sign on their home on Halloween this year. The basis of the motion is a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued in October 2023 and then modified in November 2023. According to the TRO’s, a Missouri state law that required registrants to post a sign on their home on Halloween could not be enforced. After the TRO was modified in November 2023, the court considered granting a…
Read MoreOverseas Travel Presentation Added to ACSOL Conference
A presentation regarding overseas travel has been added to the ACSOL conference that begins on Friday, September 20. The focus of the presentation will be travel to and through Europe including possible limitations for those convicted of a sex offense involving minor. Click here to sign up for the conference ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci will make this presentation on September 20 at 2:15 p.m. Her presentation will include a discussion of the pending European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) that will require visitors to obtain a permit in…
Read MoreACSOL News Alert: $10,000 Challenge Grant Offered in Support of Improving Tiered Registry Law!
An anonymous donor has offered to match up to $10,000 in donations in order to improve the Tiered Registry Law. Improvements would include, but not be limited to, lowering the tier assignments of those convicted of PC 311.11 (felony possession of child pornography), PC 288.8(c) (lewd or lascivious conduct with 14 or 15 year old), PC 288.2 (felony providing harmful material to a minor), PC 288.3 (unlawful communications with a minor) and PC 288.4 (sting operations). Another improvement would be creation of an “offramp” for those assigned to the highest…
Read MoreCA Alert: California Governor’s Pardon will generally NOT terminate a duty to register
Dear registrants, family members, and supporters: Many private attorneys and public defenders indicate that a pardon by the California governor will terminate your duty to register. Some attorneys charge thousands of dollars to submit pardon applications. However, California Attorney General’s Office, which is responsible for maintaining California’s sex offender registry, will NOT terminate sex offense registration following a gubernatorial pardon grant, unless the Governor makes an express finding that the grantee is factually innocent of the sex crime triggering the registration requirement. Governor Newsom has granted no pardons…
Read MoreDistinguished Speaker Added to ACSOL Conference
Distinguished speaker Heather Cucolo will join the ACSOL conference as a plenary speaker on Saturday, September 21, at 9:15 a.m. (Pacific). Her presentation will include her ongoing efforts on important issues such as criminal justice and mental disability law. Ms. Cucolo is a law professor at New York School of Law and is currently the acting facilitator of a joint program with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She is the former acting director of the Online Mental Disability Law Program. “We are very excited that Ms. Cucolo has…
Read MoreChanges to be Made in Treatment for CA Registrants on Parole
Source: ACSOL The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has agreed in writing to stop their unwritten policy that required all registrants on parole to undergo treatment the entire time they are on parole. The agreement is the result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of registrants earlier this year. “This agreement is significant because it will help almost 7,000 registrants currently on parole,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This agreement will lead to early discharge for many of those registrants.” In the settlement agreement, CDCR agreed that…
Read MorePlaintiff Files Final Brief in Missouri Halloween Sign Challenge
Source: ACSOL Today the plaintiff in the case challenging Missouri’s Halloween sign requirement filed his final brief in federal district court. The brief includes testimony from the trial which took place in St. Louis on June 20. In the brief, the plaintiff repeated his argument that the Missouri state law that requires signs to be posted on Halloween violates the First Amendment because it is speech compelled by the government. The brief notes that the proper standard of review for this case is strict scrutiny, a burden the Attorney General…
Read MoreIt’s Time to Sign Up for ACSOL Zoom Conference to be held on September 20 and September 21
It’s time to sign up for ACSOL’s annual conference that will be held on Friday, September 20, and Saturday, September 21. The conference will be virtual and therefore accessible both by Zoom and by phone. The early bird discount price to attend the conference is $25. “This year’s conference will offer a wide range of dynamic speakers that have important information to share,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “For example, ACLU attorney Kimberly Buddin will provide an overview of the registry nationwide and licensed social worker Alex Gittinger will…
Read MoreSave the Date: ACSOL Zoom Conference to be held on September 20 and September 21
The 2024 Conference for the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) will be held on Friday, September 20, and Saturday, September 21. The conference will begin both days at 9 a.m. (Pacific) and end about 5 p.m. Conference signs up will begin in early July on this website. “This year’s conference will be virtual in order to help registrants and their loved ones in every state,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. One keynote speaker for the conference is attorney Molly Nixon of the Pacific Legal Foundation. She will…
Read MoreD.C. Vigil Educates U. S. Supreme Court, Public – Smith v. Doe Must Go!
A vigil was held on Friday, March 15, near the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to educate both the Court and the public regarding significant harms that have resulted from Smith V. Doe, a decision issued by that court in 2003. Speakers at the vigil included civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci of California, David Garlock of Pennsylvania, Danell Puglisi-Knutson of Florida, Shawna Baldwin of Arizona and Christopher Sparks of Florida. The vigil was live streamed using Zoom technology and a recording of the vigil will be available soon on…
Read MoreMO: Trial Date Delayed for Missouri Halloween Sign Case
Source: ACSOL A federal district court has agreed to delay the trial date in the pending case that challenges a Halloween sign requirement in the state of Missouri. Originally the trial was to begin on March 27, however, the court has agreed to delay that date until June 20. The court’s decision to delay the trial date was made after the plaintiff filed a motion for that delay. The request was made, in part, after the Attorney General sent more than 800 pages of documents and videos to plaintiff’s counsel…
Read MoreLobby Day 2024 Successfully Educates CA Legislators, Staff Regarding Proposed Improvements to Tiered Registry Law
More than 50 registrants, family members and supporters successfully educated dozens of state legislators and legislative staff members during CA Lobby Day on March 6. The education efforts were made by participants in 12 groups that each had three pre-arranged meetings. Some of the groups also participated in drop by meetings when or more of members of the group were constituents of a legislator. “We shared important information with legislators and staff members about necessary improvements to the Tiered Registry Law,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “That information included…
Read MoreArkansas Court Sets Hearing Date for Halloween Sign Challenge
Source: ACSOL The federal district court in Arkansas where a lawsuit has been filed challenging a Halloween sign requirement set a hearing in the case for May 2 at 1:30 p.m. in the fifth floor courtroom in Fayetteville. The purpose of that hearing is “to assess the pretrial needs of the case.” According to the court document, the trial date for the case will also be set during that hearing. Prior to the May 2 hearing, both parties are required to file several documents, including an important document that is…
Read MoreAttorney Chance Oberstein Resigns from ACSOL Board
Criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein has resigned from the ACSOL Board of Directors. According to an email from Mr. Oberstein dated December 24, 2023, his resignation was effective on that date. “I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation for the experiences and growth I have gained while serving on the board,” Mr. Oberstein wrote. “I am grateful for the trust and support that the board and ACSOL have given me during my tenure.” Mr. Oberstein served on the board of directors for about 10 years. …
Read MoreSave the Date: Lobby Day in Sacramento on March 6, 2024
It’s time to save the date for the next Lobby Day in Sacramento. The date is Wednesday, March 6, starting at 9 a.m. Lobby Day training will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1209 L Street, and after training, lobbying will take place in the legislative offices nearby. The primary focus for Lobby Day 2024 will be improvements to the Tiered Registry Law. “ACSOL lobbied for about seven years for a Tiered Registry Law, however, the final law reflects political compromises that harm registrants and are not supported by…
Read MoreCA Court Denies Government’s Demurrer
Source: ACSOL A judge in Los Angeles Superior Court today denied a demurrer filed by the government in a case that challenges CDCR’s blanket policy that requires all registrants on parole to continue treatment the entire time they are on parole. Treatment includes group counseling, individual counseling and/or polygraph examinations. According to the lawsuit, CDCR’s policy is in violation of state law because that law requires CDCR to assess on a case-by-case basis whether a registrant requires more than one year of treatment. The state law also allows superior court…
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