California RSOL will hold its next monthly meeting on Saturday November 16 at the usual location, the ACLU building at 1313 W. 8th Street in Los Angeles. The meeting will start at 10 am and cover general topics of interest, as well as specific issues pertinent at meeting time, in addition to offering invaluable opportunities to network with others affected by this issue, as well as activists and professionals. One topic already on the agenda is the expected decision on the “Godinez” case, which prohibits 290 Registrants from entering Orange County…
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California RSOL Challenge Featured on National TV Show [updated with show]
California RSOL and its recent legal challenge to the Halloween ordinance in the City of Orange that required registered citizens to post a sign in front of their residences will be discussed on “The Doctors”, a national TV show, on September 30 on CBS. The discussion is a 5-minute segment that includes “the doctors”, a mother from the City of Orange and CA RSOL president Janice Bellucci, “This is an important opportunity to educate the public on one way in which the civil rights of registered citizens have been violated,”…
Read MoreCA RSOL Meetings – September 14 in LA and October 12 in Berkeley
California RSOL is pleased to announce two upcoming monthly meetings for registrants, friends and family in both regions of the Golden State. The Southern California meeting will be held on Saturday, September 14 at the ACLU building at 1313 W. 8th Street in Los Angeles (usual location). CA RSOL will hold a meeting in Northern California on Saturday, October 12, in Oakland / Berkeley. The address is Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, ***1606 Bonita Avenue***, Berkeley, CA 94709. *** Please note: an incorrect address was listed previously for the Berkeley meeting…
Read MoreRSOL Conference this week in Los Angeles (with program brochure)
Later this week, August 30 (29) – September 1, the National RSOL Conference will take place in Los Angeles at the Westin Hotel near LAX. This year’s conference is hosted by California RSOL. The conference will feature presentations and lectures by the foremost experts in the field and offers an unprecedented opportunity for networking with others interested in and affected by the subject. Full conference attendance is $100, with daily passes available for $50. No advance reservation / sign-up is required, register at the door. For a preview of planned…
Read MoreCA RSOL Letter to Ed Royce, Chairman Committee on Foreign Affairs re. H.R. 2848 (Int. Megan’s Law)
Below find a copy of a letter sent by CA RSOL’s Janice Bellucci to Ed Royce, Chairman Committee on Foreign Affaris in opposition to H.R. 2848 (Int. Megan’s Law). Feel free to use this letter as a guide to compose your own letter protesting this unconstitutional portion of the bill. Full Size Letter (pdf)
Read MoreInt’l Megan’s Law Amendment to Protect More Kids
Washington, Aug 1 – A legislative effort by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) to restrict the passports of U.S citizens who have been convicted of sex crimes against children took a leap forward today when it was unanimously approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Smith wrote an amendment which is now part of the U.S. State Department authorization bill, H.R. 2848, which is expected to be on the House floor in September. It grants the Secretary of State discretion to limit the valid duration of passports for convicted sex offenders…
Read MorePetition: Albany Times Union newspaper and Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann: Remove addresses of family members of sex offenders
It is against Pinterest’s terms of use to post personal information of another person – yet they are blatantly ignoring this policy by ignoring multiple reports of the four Pinterest boards owned by the Albany Times Union, which post the photographs and personal information of people on the registry and by proxy, their family members and children. There is no evidence to suggest this type of notification is effective at protecting the public – in fact, it may increase recidivism by making it impossible for registrants and their families to…
Read MoreOrange County Ordinance Legal Battle Continues
The Court of Appeal will hear oral argument in the Hugo Godinez case on July 22 in Santa Ana. At issue in that case is whether the Orange County ordinance which prohibited all sex offenders from entering public places such as parks, beaches and hiking trails is preempted by the state constitution. The court’s decision is expected within 30 days. The Orange County ordinance, which was passed in April 2011, is currently not in effect due to a decision by a three-judge panel of the Orange County Superior Court. If…
Read MoreCA RSOL supports AB 218
CA RSOL strongly supports the passing of AB 218 in the California Legislature. This bill would remove questions about criminal convictions from public job applications, postponing them until later in the hiring process. Through your support of AB 218, the State of California can begin to unlock employment opportunities for thousands of residents and help them obtain the second chance they deserve, thereby,significantly improving public safety and reducing the current recidivism rate. AB 218 was approved by the Assembly on May 30, 2013, and is now under consideration in the…
Read More[UPDATED] California RSOL Meeting July 27 – Los Angeles
California RSOL will discuss the California Supreme Court decision of Doe v. Harris — its meaning and its impact — in the organization’s monthly Los Angeles meeting on July 27. The meeting will be held at the ACLU building at 1313 W. 8th Street and start at 10 a.m. The meeting will also include updated information regarding the exciting National RSOL Conference to be held in Los Angeles starting August 29. The conference will include experts and dynamic speakers including Alex Landon, criminal defense attorney and author of “A Parallel…
Read MoreEarly Bird Registration now open for RSOL Conference in Los Angeles
California RSOL will be hosting this year’s RSOL Conference, from August 29 to September 1. The Conference will take place in Los Angeles, near LAX, and will provide an opportunity to interact and network with researchers, mental health professionals, criminal justice practitioners and advocates interested in reforming current law, policy, and treatment of former sexual offenders. We are certain that all will benefit from this opportunity to share, learn, and strategize with others from around the country. Early Bird registration is now open, until July 30, with significant savings for early…
Read MoreCalifornia RSOL Meeting June 22nd in Santa Maria
California RSOL’s next meeting will take place on June 22nd at 10 am in Santa Maria. The meeting is open and free of charge to all registrants, friends and family, and supporters. Media and government officials are not invited. The meeting will cover topics of interest to registrants, such as pending legislation, current lawsuits and other issues that impact the lives of 290 registrants. Saturday, June 22nd, 10 a.m.1165 Stubblefield Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Read MoreSenate Farm Bill to deny food assistance to anyone convicted of certain federal or state crimes
The United States Senate has agreed to Sen. David Vitter’s Amendment 1056 to the 2013 Farm Bill. The amendment would deny food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) for life to anyone convicted of certain federal or state crimes.If the amendment makes it out of the Senate, it may be too late to keep it from becoming law. And like previous successful efforts to impose these kinds of devastating barriers on people with criminal records and their families, we may be fighting to roll this back for decades to come. Your help is needed to…
Read MoreCalifornia RSOL Lobbies for Tiered Registry Bill
Ten individuals representing California RSOL are lobbying in Sacramento in support of a tiered registry bill, AB 702. The bill, as currently written, would remove some individuals from the registry after 10 or 20 years after their release from prison, probation and/or parole. “It is great to have two teams of individuals, including registrants and family members, lobbying in support of the tiered registry bill,” stated Janice Bellucci, President of CA RSOL. “We are educating elected officials and members of their staff regarding the need for a tiered registry.” AB…
Read MoreCity of Palmdale to Consider Repeal of Sex Offender Ordinance
The City Council of Palmdale will formally consider during its May 1 meeting a complete repeal of its sex offender ordinance. The ordinance is broad in that it includes both residency and presence restrictions. “It is essential that the City of Palmdale repeal the ordinance on May 1 in order to correct the mistakes made in its passage,” stated President Janice Bellucci. “The current ordinance violates both the federal and state constitutions.” California RSOL met with city officials in early April to discuss the ordinance and stated that the ordinance…
Read MoreCalifornia to Host National RSOL Conference
Sign up now: Conference Registration – More Details: Conference Information – National RSOL The 5th Annual Reform Sex Offender Laws Conference, “Justice For All”, will be held in Los Angeles during Labor Day weekend. The conference will begin on Thursday, August 29, with an evening social gathering and continue through noon on Sunday, September 1. The conference will be held at the Westin Hotel near LAX airport. “This is an excellent opportunity for registrants and family members of registrants to learn about the laws and policies that affect their daily lives,” stated…
Read MoreTiered Registry Bill Introduced
A tiered registry bill, which would end the state’s lifetime registry, has been introduced in the state Assembly. The Public Safety Committee will conduct a public hearing on the bill (AB 702) on April 16 in Sacramento. If passed, the bill would create three tiers in which some registrants would be removed from the registry after 10 or 20 years. The language in the bill is similar to AB 625 which was defeated in 2012. “Passage of a tiered registry bill is the highest priority of California RSOL and the…
Read MoreCA RSOL Meeting in San Diego on April 13
California RSOL will hold its monthly meeting for April in San Diego, on April 13. It will be held at 1155 Island Avenue, Room 229, in downtown San Diego, 92101 at 10 am. As always, topics will include issues of importance to registrants, including updates on current litigation. Only registrants, their friends and families and supporters are invited to attend. No media or government officials are allowed. There is no charge to attend the meeting.
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