Californian lawmakers passed a law on Thursday requiring universities to adopt “affirmative consent” language in their definitions of consensual sex, part of a nationwide drive to curb sexual assault on U.S. campuses. Full Article LA Times Article
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Scotts Valley sex offender treatment center closes days before school starts
SCOTTS VALLEY >> A sex offender treatment center that drew the ire of some parents because it was located near Scotts Valley Middle School closed Monday. The announcement came Tuesday on the eve of the first day of school in Scotts Valley, months after the Scotts Valley Police Department asked the center to find a new location and almost two years since the facility first opened doors. Full Article
Read MoreHesperia settles lawsuit with sex offender
HESPERIA — Since this week’s council meeting and its late continuation of closed session to discuss pending litigation, an agreement was reached Thursday to settle a registered sex offender’s lawsuit against the city. Full Article Related REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER SUES CITY OF HESPERIA; 15thLAWSUIT FILED IN 4 MONTHS [Upated with Media Link]
Read MoreCoalition Urges CA Governor: Protect Patients, Stop Gutting Confidentiality
(Los Angeles, California, August 20, 2014) — A coalition of nonprofits alarmed about the gutting of patient confidentiality urges California Governor Jerry Brown to veto pending legislation that requires mental health practitioners to police their patients and report a growing list of statements to law enforcement—or face prosecution and potential jail time. Full Article
Read MoreLocal Sex Offender Watch Alert Barred
Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department can no longer provide a sex offender watch list or alert residents when an offender moves into their neighborhood. The Sheriff’s Office has been forced by California’s Department of Justice to drop the “Offender Watch” online service which allowed residents to go on line, enter their address and be alerted via email if a sex offender moved in. Full Article
Read MoreOrange Joins Cities Changing Sex Offender Bans
The city of Orange is set to join a growing list of cities revising bans on registered sex offenders in parks in the wake of recent state appeals court rulings. … Orange has already been served with a lawsuit, Lindsay v. City of Orange, challenging its laws banning sex offenders in parks. The suit alleges the entire ordinance must be repealed, but the city attorney is recommending only one section pertaining to parks be removed. Full Article
Read MoreCity of Carson Fails to Repeal or Revise Ordinance [updated with CC Video]
The Carson City Council failed to repeal or revise its sex offender ordinance during its meeting on August 5 despite recommendations to do so from both the City Manager and City Attorney. According to a staff report dated August 5, the City’s ordinance is inconsistent with state law due to presence restrictions which limit where registered citizens may visit. The City’s ordinance also includes residency restrictions which limit where registered citizens may live. Residency restrictions are currently under review by the California Supreme Court. “The City of Carson acted unwisely…
Read MoreHesperia City Council Modifies Existing Sex Offender Ordinance
In a vote of 4 to 1, the Hesperia City Council approved significant modifications to its sex offender ordinance by reducing both presence and residency restrictions. Specifically, the Council voted to end provisions that prohibited registered citizens from loitering within 500 feet of public places and replaced them with restrictions from being present at schools or public places where children gather. The Council also voted to reduce residency restrictions from 4,000 to 2,000 feet from schools and parks. The new law, when in effect, will be consistent with current state…
Read MoreCarson City Council to consider revoking restrictions on sex offenders
Carson’s wide-reaching laws restricting registered sex offenders from approaching parks, child-care centers, public pools or other places where children gather will be on the chopping block Tuesday night when the City Council considers a lawsuit challenging the Municipal Code. Full Article
Read MoreCouncil to consider bond issue, reconsider sex-offender laws
HESPERIA — The City Council will consider and reconsider a number of issues at a specially scheduled 3 p.m. Tuesday meeting. Included on the agenda is a resolution approving issuance of multi-family housing revenue bonds, revisions to regulations concerning registered sex offenders and amendments to the fine schedule under emergency water conservation conditions. Full Article
Read MoreCalifornia not following recommendation on parole agent caseloads
California never adopted the recommendation that the caseloads of agents supervising sex offenders be reduced, despite the urging of a blue-ribbon task force that was set up after an arrest in the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard, and the deaths of others at the hands of those under the state’s watch. Instead, agent caseloads remain at levels as much as twice what the task force deemed safe, while duties for those agents have been greatly expanded. Full Article
Read MoreBell Gardens Repeals Section of Sex Offender Law
Faced with the threat of lawsuits, the Bell Gardens City Council Monday voted to repeal an ordinance restricting the movement of registered sex offenders in the southeast city. The council’s decision comes following recent court rulings striking down local sex offender laws that exceed state regulations. In 2009, Bell Gardens adopted an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from being within 300 feet of parks and other locations where children gather. “We’re not doing it because we want to do it, we’re doing it because we’re forced to do it…
Read MoreRestrictions on Where Sex Offenders Can Reside Countywide Preserved
An ordinance limiting where convicted sex offenders can reside in Riverside County will stay on the books, but local restrictions on where they can hang out will no longer remain in force, following a 5-0 vote this week by the Board of Supervisors. Full Article Also: http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/79726/
Read MoreCity to alter sex offender restrictions
STOCKTON – Seemingly without a say in the matter, and with a lawsuit filed against Stockton, the City Council appears likely tonight to repeal an ordinance that restricts some movements of registered sex offenders in places frequented by children. According to a staff report included in tonight’s meeting agenda, the city has no choice because recent court decisions have decreed that state law on the movement of registered sex offenders preempts local legislation. Full Article Agenda: http://www.stocktongov.com/clerk/granicusagendas/citycouncil/20140729.pdf (p. 52) July 29: Repeal Motion passes 6-1 (Mayor Anthony Silva opposing)
Read MoreREGISTERED SEX OFFENDER SUES CITY OF HESPERIA; 15thLAWSUIT FILED IN 4 MONTHS [Upated with Media Link]
Registered sex offender Frank Lindsay today challenged an ordinance adopted by the City of Hesperia which prohibits him and all other registered citizens from visiting public and private locations as well as residing within that city. The lawsuit was filed after the City Council of Hesperia considered, but failed, to repeal or revise its ordinance on July 15. The scope of the City’s ordinance is broad and includes restrictions regarding where more than 105,000 individuals can be present. Specifically, the ordinance prohibits registered citizens from being present in or within…
Read MoreSheriff’s officials conduct sex offender compliance check
Ventura County, Calif. – The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sex offender compliance check Saturday, officials said Tuesday. Full Article
Read MoreChanges to sex offender ordinance worries parents
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors deferred action on a proposal to repeal a Riverside County ordinance restricting where convicted sex offenders can reside and loiter, directing county staff instead to modify the law so that some of its provisions can be preserved. Full Article
Read MoreCities grapple with sex-offender code changes
HESPERIA — Reluctant to bow to state-level pressure, councilmen deferred adopting amendments to the city code about the regulation of sex offenders spurred by recent and pending court actions. With two of the city’s five councilmen on vacation, the motion to approve the amendments died on a split vote (three yes were needed to pass). Councilman Russ Blewett, who voted no, said after Tuesday’s meeting that he was basically protesting state laws and court decisions dictating what a city must do. Full Article
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