The price for each inmate has doubled since 2005, even as court orders related to overcrowding have reduced the population by about one-quarter. Salaries and benefits for prison guards and medical providers drove much of the increase. The result is a per-inmate cost that is the nation’s highest — and $2,000 above tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses to attend Harvard. Full Article
Read MoreCategory: California
Overhaul of sexual offender registry is on right track
Once in a while, politicians in Sacramento get things right. The overhaul of the state’s sex offender registry proposed by Sen. Scott Weiner, D-San Francisco, and Sen. Joel Anderson, R-San Diego, is one of those rare occurrences of a bipartisan solutions that works. Full Article
Read MoreSenate Passes Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421)
The Senate today, in a vote of 24 to 10, passed the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421). Prior to the vote, the bill’s author — Sen. Scott Wiener — explained why a tiered registry is necessary. His views were supported by Sen. Nancy Skinner, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, as well as co-author Sen. Joel Anderson. During his presentation, Sen. Wiener describe the current registry as broken and outdated. He added that the registry, which includes more than 100,000 people, is so large that it is useless. Sen. Anderson subsequently stated…
Read MoreHe had sex with his 16-year-old girlfriend and was almost deported. Now he can stay
______ ______ ______ was a legal permanent resident of the U.S. after immigrating from Mexico. Then he had sex with his 16-year-old girlfriend when he was 20, went to jail and faced deportation back to Mexico. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article153329569.html
Read MoreAB 558 Released from Suspense File
Today the Assembly Appropriations Committee released AB 558 from its Suspense File. As a result, the bill will be voted upon by all members of the Assembly on or before June 2. “The committee’s decision is a significant blow to the rights of registrants who were convicted of misdemeanors and other low level offenses,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “In the past, the state legislature wisely decided not to post this information on a public website and that wisdom should be continued.” As currently written, AB 558 would eliminate exemptions…
Read MoreTiered Registry Bill Released from Senate Appropriations Committee
Today the Senate Appropriations Committee released the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421) from its Suspense File. As a result, the bill’s author — Senator Scott Wiener — will take the bill to the floor of the Senate no later than Friday, June 2. While on the Senate floor, every senator will have an opportunity to vote for or against the Tiered Registry Bill. “It’s time to Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This is the time for registrants, family members and supporters to call…
Read MoreJudge Rules Fontana’s “No Registrant” Policy is Preempted by State Law
A Superior Court Judge issued a tentative ruling on May 23 that a Fontana Unified School District Policy which prohibits all registrants from visiting schools in that district is preempted by state law and therefore must be stopped. The judge’s final ruling in this case is expected within 30 days. “This is a tremendous victory for registrant parents whose children attend schools in the Fontana school district,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “It also sends a clear message to other school districts that have or are considering similar policies.”…
Read MoreL.A. group wants sex offenders to be included in Prop 57’s early release
The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (Yes, that’s a thing) claims that state prison officials have undermined Prop 57’s parole process, by not including sex offenders for consideration for early release. Full Article
Read MoreDebate over sex offenders moves to court as California undertakes prison parole overhaul
A Los Angeles-based nonprofit is claiming California prison officials have undermined last fall’s ballot measure to overhaul the state’s parole process by excluding sex offenders from consideration for early release. The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws, which advocates for the rights of those convicted of sex crimes and their families, says the exemption — written into newly released guidelines to implement Proposition 57 — “impermissibly restricts and impairs the scope” of the initiative. Full Article
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Next Two Weeks Could Make Huge Difference
The next two weeks could make a huge difference in the lives of more than 100,000 registrants and their families. That difference could be a decision by the Senate Appropriations Committee to release the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421) from the committee’s Suspense File on May 25, the deadline for this action to be taken. The Senate Appropriations Committee’s decision will be based, in part, upon the budget analysis for SB 421. Therefore, it is important to understand what the analysis has to say. First, the budget analysis for SB…
Read MoreShould sex offenders charge GPS devices at the library?
If you’re homeless, where do you charge the ankle monitor a judge has ordered you to wear? Businesses accuse you of stealing power and scaring away their customers. The city cut off power to some major downtown spots over similar concerns.Full Article
Read MoreIn-depth: California lawmakers consider bill that ends lifetime registration for certain sex offenders
California lawmakers are considering a controversial bill that would end lifetime registration for certain sex offenders. Proponents of the bill say it would allow law enforcement to concentrate on high-risk offenders. Full Article Related http://kron4.com/2017/05/17/in-depth-why-arent-all-sex-offenders-listed-on-megans-law/ http://kron4.com/2017/05/16/in-depth-are-high-risk-sex-offenders-really-where-they-say-they-are/ http://kron4.com/2017/05/15/in-depth-what-happens-to-sex-offenders-in-violation-of-megans-law/
Read MoreSB 26 Added to Suspense File
The Senate Appropriations Committee added Senate Bill 26 (SB 26) to its Suspense File during its hearing on May 15. The Committee is expected to decide whether to keep SB 26 in that file during its final hearing on May 25. If the bill is not removed from the Suspense File on that date, SB 26 can not move forward. So far, SB 26 has been amended four times — on March 20, April 5, April 18 and May 20 — by its author Senator Connie Leyva. As currently written, some registrants who are parents would…
Read MoreIn-depth: What happens to sex offenders in violation of Megan’s Law?
ALAMEDA COUNTY (KRON) — Since the 90’s, citizens of California have been able to see for themselves where registered sex offenders are living in their communities because of the Megan’s Law website. But with more than 100,000 sex offenders in the state, who is making sure those offenders are living where they say they are? Full Article
Read MoreAssembly Appropriations Delays Consideration of AB 558
During its hearing yesterday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee delayed consideration of AB 558 by placing the bill in its Suspense File. The bill may or may not be heard during the Committee’s final hearing on May 26. If the Committee does not hear the bill on that date, the bill will not move forward to the floor of the Assembly or to the Senate. “As currently written, AB 558 would require the addition of information regarding thousands of registrants to the public Megan’s Law website with no corresponding benefit to…
Read MoreConsideration of Tiered Registry Bill Delayed (SB 421)
Senator Scott Wiener, author of the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421), has waived presentation regarding that bill on May 15, the original date on which the Senate Appropriations Committee was scheduled to consider the bill. Due to this waiver, SB 421 will be placed in the committee’s Suspense File and will not be considered until May 25. According to staff in the office of Sen. Wiener, there is uncertainty regarding the estimate cost of implementing the Tiered Registry Bill. The estimated cost is expected to be revealed in a Budget…
Read MoreFixing California’s bloated sex-offender registry
R Street just signed a letter calling for commonsense reform of the California sex-offender registry, based on a bill proposed by our friend and Legislative Advisory Board member Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine. Full Article
Read MoreAppropriations Committees to Consider AB 558, SB 26 and SB 421
Three bills of great importance to registrants and their loved ones will be heard soon by the relevant Assembly or Senate Appropriations Committees. The Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider AB 558 (internet exclusions) on May 10 and the Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider both SB 26 (school campus visits) and SB 421 (tiered registry) on May 15. Due to the large number of bills to be considered on each of those dates, the committee hearings will begin at 9 a.m. and could end at 5 p.m.…
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