ACSOL will conduct a phone meeting on Tuesday, September 26, at 5 p.m. to discuss the new Tiered Registry Law. The 90-minute meeting will begin with an overview provided by attorneys Janice Bellucci and Chance Oberstein followed by questions and answers. To join the meeting, call 1-712-770-8055 and then key in access code 983459. Listen / Download call
Read MoreCategory: California
CA: Federal lawsuit challenges Simi Valley Halloween sex offender law for second time
[Ventura County Star] For the second time in five years, a federal lawsuit is challenging the constitutionality of a Simi Valley law that bars registered sex offenders listed on the Megan’s Law website from opening their doors to trick-or-treating children on Halloween. The law, enacted by the City Council in September 2012, also forbids the registered sex offenders from decorating the outside of their homes or front lawns with Halloween ornaments and mandates that they turn off outdoor lighting on their properties from 5 p.m. to midnight on Halloween. The…
Read MoreCA: “A Stranger Looking to Kidnap and Sex Traffic a Child Is Highly Unlikely” – Roseville, California Police
Looks like the Roseville, California, police department got a little fed up with social media posts going on about local “sex trafficking kidnappers” and “suspicious people.” And so it came out with this amazing document on its Facebook page: True facts about the fears its citizens feel and perpetuate. Kudos to a department that seems determined to do its job. If called, it will investigate. If not called, it will not conjecture about non crimes. And in the meantime, it will do what it can to counter a culture determined…
Read MoreCA: Registrant and Family Challenge Halloween Ordinance
Today a lawsuit was filed in federal district court challenging a city law that requires sex offenders (“registrants”) on Halloween to post a sign on the front door of their homes, to refrain from decorating their homes, to extinguish all lights outside their homes and to refrain from answering the door to trick-or-treaters. The lawsuit asserts that the law, adopted by Simi Valley law, violates the federal and state constitutions and requests that the court block enforcement of that ordinance. There are a total of four plaintiffs in the case,…
Read MoreCA: Gov. Brown supports bill sent to him that would end lifetime listing of many sex offenders on public registry
[LA Times] After an emotional debate, state lawmakers on Saturday gave final legislative approval to a controversial bill that would end the lifetime listing of many convicted sex offenders on a public registry in California. The bill, which was shelved then revived, was sent to the governor on the last day of the legislative session with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) calling it one of the most difficult votes she has cast. “It’s not an easy thing to do, but sometimes we have to make hard votes,” Gonzalez Fletcher…
Read MoreCA Assembly Passes Tiered Registry Bill [Updated 9/16, 6 a.m.]
Today the Assembly passed the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 384) by a vote of 42 to 22. A minimum of 41 votes was required for the bill to pass. Due to the Assembly’s passage, the final legislative step for the bill is concurrence by the Senate which is expected later today. During the Assembly’s consideration of the bill, only three members spoke: two in favor and one in opposition. Speaking in favor of the bill were members Evan Low, who presented the bill, and Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher who stated that “this…
Read MoreWhile sex offenders fight for a shot off the registry, opponents raise safety concerns
A federal judge declared Colorado’s sex-offender registry unconstitutional earlier this month, ruling that making sex-offenders’ addresses, ages and photos accessible to the public is cruel and unusual punishment. Now, an effort to reform California’s own sex-offender registry is raising questions and concerns. Full Article
Read MoreCA: FACING A LAWSUIT, TWENTYNINE PALMS COUNCIL REDUCES SEX OFFENDER RESTRICTIONS
In a turnabout from the hysteria surrounding past discussion on repeal of Twentynine Palms Municipal Code 11.32, the City Council last night held their noses and voted 5-0 to do away with the local law which forbids registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of schools, parks or day care centers, or from even being within 300 feet of any park or school. Reporter Mike Lipsitz tells us how we got to this point… Full Article
Read MoreCA: Bill Seeks To Drop Some Offenders From Megan’s Law Website
[CBS Sacramento] SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A California senator who believes the state’s sex offender registry is broken says sex offenders may no longer have to register for life. The bill, SB 384 would take lower-level sex offenders off the registry. Right now, four states including California, make all sex offenders register for life. And today, the registry tops 100,000 people in California. Some law enforcement officials say it’s working against them. “They’re on the list and can’t get off,” said Gretchen Kocinsky, whose friend was arrested at a young age…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: The Path Forward for CA tiered registry (SB 384)
In the most recent step of the legislative process, the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee approved the newest version of the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 384) yesterday. The bill is now moving forward to the full Assembly for a floor vote in a few days where it may pass and if so, then on to the Senate the same day for a concurrence vote. The newest version of the Tiered Registry Bill was created behind closed doors and was made public only a few days ago. The new bill resembles a…
Read MoreCA Assembly Committee Passes New Tiered Registry Bill SB 384
The Assembly’s Public Safety Committee passed the new Tiered Registry (SB 384) tonight by a vote of 5 to 2. All those voting in support of the bill were Democrats; all voting in opposition to the bill were Republicans. Senator Scott Wiener was unavailable to present the bill at the hearing because the Senate had not yet adjourned. Therefore, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, a member of the Public Safety Committee, presented the bill. During the hearing, Gonzalez-Fletcher stated that she “hesitated to support” earlier versions of the tiered registry bill, but…
Read MoreSex offender registry bill revived after stalling in committee
[SFGate] SACRAMENTO — With five days remaining in the legislative session, a San Francisco lawmaker revived a bill that would end lifetime registration for most sex offenders after the original bill stalled in a committee. Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener’s SB421 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee without a public vote two weeks ago after it passed four committees and the Senate. On Thursday, Wiener used a maneuver known as gut-and-amend to bring it back. Gut-and-amend is a long-used process loathed by some good government groups in which the…
Read MoreCA: 29 Palms sued over sex offender restrictions
TWENTYNINE PALMS — The city of Twentynine Palms is being sued for keeping its residency restrictions for registered sex offenders. The City Council will meet Monday, Sept. 11, to hold a public hearing and consider repealing the restrictions, which are laid out in its municipal code. Staff and the city attorneys are recommending that the council repeal the restrictions. Full Article
Read MoreTiered Registry Bill Resurfaces in Amended Form
Although believed to be stopped, the Tiered Registry Bill has been revitalized by its author Sen. Scott Wiener. The bill has a new number — SB 384 — as well as new content. This was accomplished through the “gut and amend” process available to state legislators. “As compared to the prior bill, SB 384 significantly reduces the number of people who would be assigned to Tiers 1 and 2 and therefore eligible to petition for removal from the registry in 10 or 20 years,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.…
Read MoreWhich City Council Member Changed Their Vote On Sex Offender Law?
On Aug. 1, the San Diego City Council voted to uphold a city ordinance that restricts where registered sex offenders can live. It did so against the advice of the city attorney, who warned the council the ordinance was unconstitutional and made the city vulnerable to litigation. Full Article
Read MoreCouncilman 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
Read MoreYucaipa 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
Read MoreAssembly 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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