ACSOL Phone Meeting Dec 19

Please join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci as well as ACSOL President and criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein for our next phone meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, Dec 19, beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time and will last at least two hours. Discussion topics will include: proposed SORNA regulations in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic the upcoming Tiered Registry residency restrictions overseas and domestic travel other current topics and pending legal action throughout the nation. Please Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up!…

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ACSOL Phone Meeting Nov 21

Please join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci as well as ACSOL President and criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein for our next phone meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, Nov 21, beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time and will last at least two hours. Discussion topics will include: proposed SORNA regulations in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic the upcoming Tiered Registry residency restrictions overseas and domestic travel other current topics and pending legal action throughout the nation. Please Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up!…

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California Approves Parolee Voting, Rejects Additional Violent Felonies (Prop 17 & 20)

Voters in the state of California approved voting by parolees and rejected a proposed significant increase in the number of violent felonies in yesterday’s election. That is, voters approved Proposition 17, by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent, that will allow individuals on parole to vote in future elections. And voters rejected Proposition 20, by a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent, that would have increased the number of violent felonies from 27 to 51. “ACSOL thanks everyone who followed its recommendations by voting in favor of…

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CA Dept. of Justice Changes Registration Form, Misstates Federal Law

The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) recently changed the state’s registration form (CJIS 8102S). In doing so, it added the following sentence: “Federal law requires me to notify my registering agency no less than 21 days before I intend to travel internationally.” “The main problem with the new statement is that it does not accurately reflect current federal law,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. According to a five-page letter sent today by ACSOL, state governments that comply with SORNA are required to demand international travel information from registrants.…

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ACSOL Declares Virtual Conference a Success

The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) conducted a successful two-day virtual conference on October 10 and 11. The conference featured plenary speakers such as criminal justice professor Dr. Alissa Ackerman, civil rights attorney Marcus Allen and Justin Brooks of the Innocence Project. The conference also featured panel discussions regarding the federal government’s proposed SORNA regulations, challenges faced by family members, the LGBT community, and travel restrictions. “More than 240 people signed up for this year’s conference,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Although it was ACSOL’s fourth annual…

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Action Alert: Email Websites That Offer “Ki1l a Ped%phi1e” Merchandise

There are at least four websites currently offering for sale merchandise with the message “Ki1l a Ped%phi1e.”  The websites are Amazon, Etsy, Ki1ler Culture Shop and Scratsh1rt.  Merchandise being sold on these websites includes clothing and/or stickers. “The logos on some of the merchandise being sold include graphics of a person aiming a gun at the head of a bound man on his knees as well as the message ‘Ki1l a Ped%phi1e,’” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “We must stop the sale and advertisement of this merchandise.“ Registrants, family…

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ACSOL Phone Meeting on Sept 12

Please join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci as well as ACSOL President and criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein for our next phone meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time and will last at least two hours. Discussion topics will include: proposed SORNA regulations the Willman decision in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic the upcoming Tiered Registry residency restrictions overseas and domestic travel other current topics and pending legal action throughout the nation. Please Show Up, Stand Up…

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Los Angeles County Agrees to Allow Registrants to Serve as Poll Workers

The Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters has formally agreed to allow registrants to serve as poll workers. As a result of this agreement, the county has removed language from the website of the Registrar of Voters as well as the poll workers application that previously stated registrants were prohibited from serving as poll workers. “This is a significant victory for registrants in Los Angeles County,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Any registrant who is otherwise eligible may now serve as a poll worker in that county during this…

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ACSOL Conference Reorganized as Virtual Conference on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11

The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) has reorganized its 2020 conference, “Empowered People Inspiring Change,” so that the entire conference will be held online.  Individuals can also attend and participate in the conference by phone.  The conference will be held on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST. Sign up today “ACSOL is excited to present its entire conference this year online and by phone,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “By utilizing two technology platforms, we will be able to…

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Federal Government Publishes Proposed Changes to SORNA

[ACSOL] The federal government yesterday published in the Federal Register proposed changes to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  The changes encompass a total of 93 pages and include a wide range of topics, including retroactivity, tier levels, professional licenses and travel (both domestic and international).  Replies to the proposed regulations are due no later than October 13, 2020. According to the proposed regulations, SORNA will apply to all individuals convicted of a sex offense, including those convicted before it was enacted.  The federal government claims to have…

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ACSOL Phone Meeting on August 15

Please join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci as well as ACSOL President and criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein for our next phone meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, August 15, beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time and will last at least two hours. Discussions topics will include in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming Tiered Registry, residency restrictions, overseas and domestic travel as well as other current topics and pending legal action throughout the nation. Please Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up!…

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CA: Court Grants Demurrer in Jurors Case

The Los Angeles Superior Court has granted a demurrer in ACSOL’s challenge to an exclusion of all registrants from serving on a jury. The Court also scheduled a hearing to discuss the future of the case on August 11. “We are gravely disappointed that the court took this action,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “By doing so, the court has made a preliminary decision that the legislature can lawfully prevent anyone convicted of a sex offense, regardless of the type of offense or how long ago it occurred from…

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ACSOL Phone Meeting on July 11

Please join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci as well as ACSOL President and criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein for our next phone meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, July 11, beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time and will last at least two hours. Discussions topics will include in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming Tiered Registry, residency restrictions, overseas and domestic travel as well as other current topics and pending legal action throughout the nation. Please Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up!…

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Los Angeles Superior Court Denies TRO Application

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has denied a TRO application filed by the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) that, if granted, would have required the CA Department of Corrections (CDCR) to release from prison individuals convicted of a sex offense based upon the same eligibility factors as those convicted of a different type of offense. The basis of the TRO application was the equal protection clause of the state constitution. “We are deeply troubled by the court’s decision because it fails to recognize that individuals convicted of…

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CA: Registration Procedures Vary Greatly at Local Law Enforcement Agencies

[ACSOL] Registration procedures currently vary greatly at local law enforcement agencies in the state of California.  While some agencies, such as the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), are remotely registering individuals by telephone, there are other agencies that continue to require individuals to register in person. “It is difficult to understand why local law enforcement agencies continue to require individuals to register in person during a pandemic after issuance of both the Governor’s Executive Order and the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Bulletin,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. Based upon…

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ACSOL Submits Formal Comments Regarding Proposed Tiered Registry Petition Forms [Updated 6/18 with Ellman comments]

[Updated 6/18 with Ira and Tara Ellman comments] The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) has submitted formal comments regarding proposed Tiered Registry petition forms to the Judicial Council of California. The deadline for submitting formal comments regarding the proposed forms is June 9, 2020. “The comments submitted by ACSOL are based, in large part, upon input received from ACSOL members,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. ACSOL provided a total of eight comments in an eight-page letter to the Judicial Council. The letter includes as an enclosure a…

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ACSOL Phone Meeting on June 13

Please join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci as well as ACSOL President and criminal defense attorney Chance Oberstein for our next phone meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, June 13, beginning at 10 a.m.Pacific time and will last at least two hours. Discussions topics will include in-person registration during the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming Tiered Registry, residency restrictions, overseas and domestic travel as well as other current topics and pending legal action throughout the nation. Please Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up! Dial-in…

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CA: Federal Judge Denies TRO Request to Stop In-Person Registration

A federal district court judge denied today a request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that would have immediately stopped in-person registration in Fresno County. The judge accepted statements from the county that the current registration process is “no contact,” socially-distanced, and takes places outdoors. The judge did not allow registrants an opportunity to dispute those statements in a reply brief. Nor did the judge make reference to the Executive Order issued by Governor Gavin Newson on May 8, 2020, encouraging remote registration. “The court’s decision to deny our TRO…

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