Senator Ricardo Lara, the primary author of the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 695), has pulled that bill from further consideration. The bill had been scheduled to be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee on April 18. The bill could continue if either co-author Holly Mitchell agrees to serve as the bill’s sole author or a new author is identified. In order to remain viable, the bill must be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee during its hearing on April 25. Related California state Sen. Ricardo Lara announces he’s…
Read MoreCategory: California
Senate Committee Approves SB 26
The Senate Education Committee today unanimously approved Senate Bill 26. The bill will next be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee on April 18. The Committee made its decision despite testimony from ACLU lobbyist Natasha Minsker, civil rights attorney Nicole Pittman and ACSOL board member Roger Hunnicutt. During their testimony, the individuals expressed significant concern regarding how the bill will harm juveniles as well as registrants who are parents of school children. “The Education Committee today made a grave mistake that will harm children,” stated ACSOL executive director Janice…
Read MoreHype over substance in bill on sexual predators
Keeping dangerous sexual predators off school grounds is important. Fortunately, there are already laws in place which do that. But that didn’t stop Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, from trying to score easy political points by prohibiting sex offenders from schools. Full Article
Read MoreAmended Senate Bill 26 to be Heard on March 29 [updated with Education Committee Member List for calling]
Senate Education Committee Contact info below! Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Senate Bill 26 has been amended and is now scheduled for a March 29 hearing by the Senate Education Committee. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. and be held in Room 4203 of the Capitol Building. “Similar to the original version, the amended version of Senate Bill 26 is inconsistent with state law and would banish registrants who are the parents of school children from the grounds of their child’s school when pupils are present,” stated…
Read MoreCalifornia Lawmakers Want To Treat Juvenile Offenders Like Children
California should start treating juvenile offenders more like children, state lawmakers said Monday as they promoted bills that they said reflect research showing that children’s brains are different from adults. Full Article
Read MoreCA: State high court upholds post-prison rules for sex offenders
Sex offenders in California who have completed their prison sentences must comply with strict monitoring conditions while on probation, including undergoing lie-detector tests about their conduct and receiving treatment from therapists who can reveal their secrets to a probation officer, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday. Although offenders must take part in the lie-detector interrogation and therapy, none of their answers can be used to file or prove new criminal charges against them, the court said. The goal, instead, is to monitor the former inmates and prevent future crimes, the…
Read MoreLaguna Beach school visitors will have names checked against national sex offender database
Beginning next month, visitors to any of Laguna Beach’s four public schools will need to provide identification to be checked against a nationwide sex offender database. Full Article
Read MoreCASOMB Reports on Tiered Registry Bill, New Registrant Statistics
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) discussed during today’s meeting that CASOMB and other co-sponsors of the Tiered Registry Bill (Senate Bill 695) are poised to request changes be made to that bill. The changes include no lifetime registration for juveniles, the addition of time limits for decisions by district attorneys and local law enforcement and a rolling system of dates when individuals can petition for removal from the registry. The requests are expected to be made prior to April 18 when the bill will be considered by the Senate Public Works Committee. As…
Read MoreACSOL to Lead Lobbying Effort in Sacramento on March 20 and 21
ACSOL will lead the next lobbying effort in the State Capitol on March 20 and March 21. The focus of the effort will be pending legislation, including the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 695). Meetings will begin on Monday, March 20, at 9 a.m. in the ACSOL offices at 1215 K Street, 17th Floor, Sacramento. Training will be provided and all participants will be divided into teams that include registrants, family members and supporters. For questions or comments, please contact Carl at cm [at] californiarsol [dot] org.
Read MoreSeal Beach Repeals Residency Restrictions
The Seal Beach City Council voted last night in favor of repealing its residency restrictions. The vote was taken based upon a recommendation to repeal by the City Manager which noted that residency restrictions are ineffective and have been stricken down at the state level. The City Council is expected to consider this issue a second time during its next meeting on March 27 and the repeal would be in effect 30 days later. “This is a significant victory for registrants and members of their families,” stated ACSOL Executive Director…
Read MoreFBI Used Best Buy’s Geek Squad To Increase Secret Public Surveillance
Recently unsealed records reveal a much more extensive secret relationship than previously known between the FBI and Best Buy’s Geek Squad, including evidence the agency trained company technicians on law-enforcement operational tactics, shared lists of targeted citizens and, to covertly increase surveillance of the public, encouraged searches of computers even when unrelated to a customer’s request for repairs. Full Article
Read MoreAfraid of Jail? Buy an Upgrade
How California’s pay-to-stay jails create a two-tiered justice system. Full Article Also see Los Angeles Times article
Read MoreAssembly Bill 558 (ML Web Site Exclusion) – Hearing Postponed Indefinitely
UPDATE 3/27: AB 558 hearing has been postponed indefinitely. Update: AB 558 is scheduled for hearing by the Assembly Public Safety Committee on March 28. Public Safety Committee contact info below. Update 3/15: The hearing scheduled for March 21 has been postponed indefinitely. Update 3/10: March 21 at 9 a.m. in Room 126 of the State Capitol. Please join us to speak in opposition to the bill. Plan to spend the entire morning there as it is one of many bills to be considered that morning. Assembly Bill 558, which would significantly…
Read MoreSex offender sues Ventura school district
A registered sex offender who committed his crime 27 years ago has sued the Ventura Unified School District over a district policy that forbids him from taking his child to and from her elementary school. Full Article
Read More‘What’s Not Left to Do?’: Chelsea King’s Family Talks About Chelsea’s Law, Years Later
It’s been seven years since Poway teen Chelsea King was kidnapped and killed. Her parents, Brent and Kelly King, speak with NBC 7’s Greg Bledsoe about the 7th Annual Finish Chelsea’s Run, happening on March 4 in Balboa Park, in honor of their daughter. Full Article / Video
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Senate Bill 26 Has Been Stopped!
Senate Bill 26, which would have prohibited all registrants from visiting all schools for all reasons has been stopped! This early victory in the State Capitol came about, in part, because of the efforts of 36 people — registrants, family members and supporters — who lobbied in opposition to that bill a few months ago. In a series of meetings with members and staff of the Senate and Assembly, registrants explained how the bill would harm, not help, school children. They also explained that the bill could prevent them from…
Read MoreAppeals court tosses some child molest convictions in Vacaville case
A 22-year-old Vacaville man convicted of sex crimes committed when he was 9 or 10 years old had all but one of those convictions overturned Tuesday by the Court of Appeal in San Francisco. Full Article Court Opinion
Read MoreRepealed restrictions on sex offender living limitations is dangerous for children
On Feb. 7th, Fullerton City Council unanimously repealed an unconstitutional ordinance. The city ordinance, No. 3149, made it a misdemeanor for sex offenders living within 2,000 feet of daycares, schools and parks. The state law the city now defers to will allow any sex offender not on parole or specifically prohibited by the court to live anywhere they wish. While the repealing of the ordinance is constitutional, it still puts children in more danger. Full Article
Read More