During the five years in which this organization has existed, we have often heard a wish expressed – that registrants in California be treated differently, not the same. That wish was expressed in many variations including that registrants should be treated differently according to their current risk or that registrants should be treated differently according to the offense for which they were convicted. Those wishes are now nearing reality in the form of a tiered registry bill expected to be introduced in the state legislature early next year. As drafted,…
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Los Angeles DA to Co-Sponsor Tiered Registry Bill
Los Angeles District Attorney (DA) Jackie Lacey has agreed to co-sponsor a tiered registry bill along with the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB). A copy of the draft bill was distributed during today’s CASOMB meeting. As expected, the draft bill proposes dividing registrants into three tiers based upon the offense for which the registrant was convicted as well as his/her risk level. For registrants in the first two tiers, their duty to register would end in either 10 or 20 years after release from incarceration provided that they have…
Read MoreNotice of Appeal Filed in IML Case
A notice of appeal was filed today in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. This is the first formal step required in order to appeal the dismissal of the only court challenge to the International Megan’s Law (IML). “The IML unfairly and unjustly labels hundreds of thousands of American citizens as sex tourists and sex traffickers,” stated ACSOL President Janice Bellucci. “This punishment will increase when the State Department adds unique identifiers to their passports.” The IML challenge was filed in federal district court in February, one day after it…
Read MoreACSOL Conference Call November 16 – Polygraph Exams [Recording Added]
ACSOL’s will hold a public conference call on Wednesday, November 16, at 5 p.m. Pacific time. The topic of the call will be “Polygraph Exams” and the call will follow the same format as the previous calls. There will be a brief presentation of the topic to be followed by a Q&A session where call attendees may ask questions pertaining to the topic. Dial-in number: 1-712-770-8055 Conference Code: 983459 I look forward to having you call in. Sincerely, Janice Conference Call Recordings
Read MoreEmotional Support Group to Meet on December 10 [date change]
The Emotional Support Group, which is focused upon the emotional needs of registrants and family members, will meet on December 10 (new date) in Los Angeles. The meeting will be held at the ACLU Building, 1313 W. 8th Street, starting at 10 a.m. Free parking is available in the building’s underground garage. The meeting will begin promptly at 10 a.m. and those who arrive late will not be able to attend the meeting.
Read MoreACSOL Monthly Meetings Q1 2017
ACSOL holds monthly meetings in various locations on a monthly basis throughout most of the year. Meetings are held on Saturdays – starting at 10 am and lasting about 2 hours. Meetings are open and free to registrants, family members and those who support them. Government officials, the media and all others are not allowed to attend the meetings. Meetings will focus on general issues facing registrants and families, as well as current topics at the time of meeting. Meeting dates for First Quarter of 2017 are: January 28 in Sacramento…
Read MoreNorwalk Repeals Residency Restrictions
The Norwalk City Council unanimously agreed to repeal the city’s residency restrictions during its meeting on November 1. The repeal will take effect 30 days after that vote. In considering what action to take, the Norwalk City Council noted that studies and reports “suggest that blanket enforcement of residency restrictions have not improved public safety”. The Council also noted that “residency restrictions have the unintended consequence of increasing homelessness among registered sex offenders, thereby actually threatening public safety.” “The Norwalk City Council is to be commended not only for its…
Read MoreACSOL Conference Call Nov 2 – International Travel [Recording added]
Conference Call Recording added here ACSOL’s will hold a public conference call on Wednesday, November 2, at 5 p.m. Pacific time. The topic of the call will be “International Travel” and the call will follow the same format as the previous calls. There will be a brief presentation of the topic to be followed by a Q&A session where call attendees may ask questions pertaining to the topic. Dial-in number: 1-712-770-8055 Conference Code: 983459 I look forward to having you call in. Sincerely, Janice
Read MoreState Department Replies to IML Petition
The State Department has modified the Final Rule it published on September 2, 2016, regarding implementation of the International Megan’s Law (IML). The modification corrects the erroneous statement in the Rule regarding whose passports will bear a “unique identifier”. The modification clarifies that “unique identifiers” will be added only to the passports of individuals convicted of a sex offense that involved a minor and who are currently required to register as a sex offender. The State Department’s modification occurred as the result of a petition filed by the Alliance for Constitutional Sex…
Read MoreACSOL Conference Call October 26 – Halloween (with Recording)
ACSOL’s will hold a public conference call on Wednesday, October 26, at 4 p.m. Pacific time. The topic of the call will be “Halloween” and the call will follow the same format as the previous calls. There will be a brief presentation of the topic to be followed by a Q&A session where call attendees may ask questions pertaining to the topic. Dial-in number: 1-712-770-8055 Conference Code: 983459 I look forward to having you call in. Sincerely, Janice Recording Related ***Listen to the Call Recordings (when done)*** ***ACSOL Conference Call Discussions by date /…
Read MoreLawsuit is filed against FUSD because of sex offender policy
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring civil rights for those accused and/or convicted of a sex crime, filed a lawsuit against the Fontana Unified School District on Oct. 11 in response to the sex offender policy that was adopted last month. Full Article
Read MoreFontana School District’s “No Registrants” Policy Challenged in Court
Today a lawsuit was filed in state court challenging a decision by the Fontana Unified School District to prohibit all registrants, including parents, from entering all 45schools in that district. The five members of the school district board voted unanimously in favor of the “zero tolerance” policy on September 14 after several angry parents threatened to oust any board member who opposed it. According to the lawsuit, the school board policy is preempted by state law and is inconsistent with other state laws which require schools to allow parents and…
Read MoreACSOL’s Conference Call on October 12 – Domestic Travel
ACSOL’s first conference call will be on Wednesday, October 12, at 5 p.m. Pacific time. The topic of the call will be “Domestic Travel: Rules of the Road for Registrants” and the call will follow the same format as the 9/29 IML call. Dial-in number: 1-712-770-8055 Conference Code: 983459. ***corrected on 10/12. Moderator*** I look forward to having you call in. Sincerely, Janice ***Listen to the Call Recording*** added 10/19 ***ACSOL Conference Call Discussions***
Read MoreSex offender parolees not required to post ‘do not disturb’ signs on Halloween
Last year, a Chula Vista sex offender parolee was instructed to post a “do not disturb” sign in front of his residence on Halloween night to ward off trick-or-treaters. What followed was a lawsuit filed by the California Reform Sex Offender Laws organization, as well as the parolee in San Diego County and another in Los Angeles. The policy, they argued, violated their civil rights and put their safety at risk. Posting signage was never part of existing policy, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which recently issued a memorandum to its…
Read MoreMaking the Case Against Banishing Sex Offenders
Mary Sue Molnar estimates that she gets at least five calls a week from Texans on the sex offender registry who can’t find a place to live. Numerous towns around the state have passed ordinances prohibiting those on the list from residing within a certain distance — anywhere from 500 to 3,500 feet — of a school, park, daycare facility or playground. In some towns, that’s almost everywhere. “We’ve got people living in extended-stay motels,” says Molnar, who runs the sex-offender-rights group Texas Voices for Reason and Justice. “We’re in…
Read MoreFederal Judge Dismissed Challenge to IML
A federal district court judge today granted the government’s motion to dismiss a challenge to the International Megan’s Law. The law, passed by Congress in February, allows the federal government to notify foreign countries that a registrant whose offense involved a minor is traveling to that country and requires the federal government to add a conspicuous unique identifier to their passports. “Today’s decision is a travesty of justice,” stated ACSOL president Janice Bellucci. “As a result of this decision, registrants’ lives will be placed in danger and their ability to…
Read MoreACSOL Conference Call on September 28 – International Megan’s Law
ACSOL is pleased to announce that our first conference call will be on Wednesday, September 28, at 5 p.m. Pacific time. I will speak about our challenges to the International Megan’s Law and the State Department regulation which attempts to implement it. We will only discuss these two topics. Also, I will answer your questions. Dial-in number: 1-712-770-8055 Conference Code: 983459 I look forward to having you call in. Sincerely, Janice
Read MoreTustin Repeals Residency Restrictions
In a unanimous vote, the Tustin City Council decided on September 20 to repeal the city’s residency restrictions which prohibited registered citizens from residing in most of that city. The vote followed a lawsuit filed in August 2016 which challenged the city’s restrictions. “This is a significant victory for registered citizens who wish to live in Tustin,” declared ACSOL president Janice Bellucci. “Families in that city will no longer be torn apart.” The City Council’s vote on September 20 is the second and final step taken by the council. The…
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