[nebfacts.blogspot.com] It remains to be seen if this bill will get off the ground. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on LB693, introduced by Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood, which would regulate the use of unmanned aircraft (drones) in the state. Much of the bill’s language prohibits the use of drones to trespass or spy on another person. Read more
Read MoreCategory: National
MO: Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens indicted for felony invasion of privacy
[stltoday.com] ST. LOUIS • Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who was swept into office in 2016 with a vow to clean up a corrupt state government, was indicted and booked Thursday on a felony invasion of privacy charge for allegedly taking and transmitting a non-consensual photo of his partly nude lover shortly before that campaign started. It stems from a scandal that broke last month, in which Greitens was accused of threatening his lover with the photo — an allegation that isn’t mentioned in the indictment. Greitens has admitted having an…
Read MoreFL: Florida bill would effectively ban sex offenders from vacation rentals
[UPDATED links 2/26/18] [floridaactioncommittee.org] A new bill concerning vacation rentals, HB 773, sponsored by Rep. Mike La Rosa, R-St. Cloud, is making it’s way through the Florida House of Representatives. (https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=768073.docx&DocumentType=Amendments&BillNumber=0773&Session=2018) The bill, among other things, would require vacation rental owners to give 24-hour notice to residents who live within 1,000 feet of the properties that sex offenders will be staying at the rentals. While it does not expressly ban sex offenders from vacation rentals in Florida, its effect would be that it would require vacation rental owners to inquire…
Read MoreKY: Committee hears sex offender’s social media bill
[ocmonitor.com] FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill on sex offender’s use of social media was approved today by the Senate Judiciary Committee. House Bill 70 is trying to clarify and revise Kentucky’s restrictions on internet access for registered sex offenders. Sponsor Rep. Joseph M. Fischer, R-Fort Thomas, said he introduced the measure after a unanimous decision by U.S. Supreme Court in June of last year struck down a similar North Carolina ban. He explained that HB 70 is an attempt to narrowly tailor Kentucky’s statutes as to meet the new judicial…
Read MoreAL: Alabama schools struggle with juvenile sex offenders in classrooms
[montgomeryadvertiser.com] PRATTVILLE — The parents of a young Autauga County sex crime victim want something done. Three years ago, their daughter was victimized by a then-14-year-old boy. What happened next combines the heartache of a family trying to get back to “normal,” a young man paying his debt to society, old wounds being reopened and a bureaucratic maze of board of education meetings and potential legislative action. Read more
Read MoreSD: Sex offender, human trafficking punishment increase bills move forward
[UPDATED 2/23/18 with realted link] Bills to toughen the punishment for attempted human trafficking of minors and repeatedly failing to register as a sex offender continue to make their way through the legislature. Senate Bill 61 would increase the penalty for sex offenders who fail more than once to register after moving to a new address. Currently law penalizes second offenses the same as first offenses, a class 6 felony. Under the bill, a second offense and any subsequent offense would be a class 5 felony. Full Article Related: without…
Read MoreMO: Jackson Co. takes tough stance on tracking sex offenders’ social media activity
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office takes a tough stance on making sure sex offenders are compliant with the law. They do it in a number of ways, including sweeps. Offenders are required to report the basics, his or her name, home and work address, any vehicles they own, any scars or tattoos they may have, and internet presence they may have. Full Article
Read MorePA: Wolf signs bill to protect victims of sexual abuse crimes
[theprogressnews.com] HARRISBURG — Governor Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed House Bill 631 into law, now Act 10 of 2018, the primary intent of which is to provide for greater public safety by ensuring convicted sexual offenders remain subject to registration requirements in the wake of recent court decisions impacting Pennsylvania’s implementation of the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Ron Marsico, would ensure that as many as 12,000 sexual offenders remain on Pennsylvania’s registry and subject to the regulations in place at the time of…
Read MoreLegal Scholars Call on Universities to Reform ‘Victim-Centered’ Sexual Misconduct Policies
[freebeacon.com] Nearly 140 legal scholars have signed a letter calling on universities to reform current policies governing sexual misconduct allegations with a renewed focus on due process, rather than by a doctrine of “always believe the victim.” The letter highlights dangers inherent in “‘victim-centered’ practices” that “undermine neutrality in campus Title IX processes,” and claims the imbalance has been plaguing institutions for nearly three decades. According to the authors, the misleading victim-centered procedure was introduced in the early 1990s and been on the rise since the 2006 publication of an…
Read MoreThe Promise and Potential of Circles of Support and Accountability: A Sex Offender Reentry Program
[aei.org] Key Points Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), whose goal is “no more victims,” provides sex offenders released from prison with pro-social support as they return to society and emphasizes accountability by insisting that offenders accept responsibility for their actions. Findings from a CoSA program in cshowed that the program significantly reduced sex offense recidivism, lowering the risk of rearrest for a new sex offense by 88 percent. By helping sex offenders successfully transition from prison to the community, CoSA prevents individuals from being victims of crime, including sex…
Read MoreKS: Can Registries Cover Too Many Crimes? Kansas Legislation Suggests A Rollback
Junkie logic brought an addict to the doorsteps of a Topeka woman once convicted of selling cocaine. The addict was looking to buy, and Kansas’ online database of criminal offenders has a handy geographic search tool that lets users pull up the names, crimes and addresses of people who live within a few miles of their homes. It’s meant to boost public safety, but the Kansas Sentencing Commission says other consequences come with publishing the past transgressions of nearly 20,000 Kansans. Full Article
Read MoreTX: Contentious 331st District race pits longtime judge against attorney
[mystatesman.com] The only contested judicial race in Travis County’s criminal district courts has gotten contentious, with challenger Chantal Eldridge saying taxpayers have been underserved by the incumbent while Eldridge faces questions of her own about the registered sex offender she employs in her law firm and intends to bring on as a judicial aide if she wins. Eldridge, a 53-year-old career defense lawyer who narrowly lost a judicial race in 2016, is running against state District Judge David Crain, who has presided over the felony 331st District Court since 2010…
Read MoreMN: Convicted rapist wins the right to live in West St. Paul
[citypages.com] Thomas Evenstad was convicted in 1999 of raping an 18-year-old woman. In 2014, he picked up more convictions for stalking and harassing the victim, her family, investigators, and the judges involved in his prosecution. When he finally got out of jail last August, he moved in to a friend’s apartment in West St. Paul. Three days later, police told his landlord that Evenstad couldn’t stay, threatening them both with criminal charges if he didn’t vacate. That’s because West St. Paul doesn’t allow sex offenders to live within 1,200 feet…
Read MoreWA: Law Would Reduce Severity of Charges for Teens Who Send, View Sexually Explicit Images
[chronline.com] The state Senate a week ago passed legislation amending state law to reduce charges against teens over 12 years old for sending, producing or viewing sexually explicit material of other teens over 12 years old from a felony to a misdemeanor charge. According to a news release from the Washington state Senate Democrats, the changes reflect the distinction between the sending of sexually explicit images by teens, as opposed to distributing such materials through malicious intent. The legislation was introduced by Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond. Under current law, any…
Read MoreIN: Sex offender registry levels stiff penalties
The Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry is designed to protect the citizens of the state of Indiana — but some convicted offenders may become victim to stringent, statutory requirements. Full Article
Read MoreTX: Weekend Read: They served their prison sentences, but they’re still locked up
[splcenter.org] Jason Schoenfeld already served a full prison sentence, but he’s back behind bars — not because of what he’s done, but because of what the state of Texas says he might do. Schoenfeld entered a detention center in Littlefield, Texas more than two years ago. Located in a remote corner of the Texas Panhandle, it was once a prison and currently houses a rehabilitation program for men like Schoenfeld who have committed sex offenses. Schoenfeld used to attend therapy sessions every two weeks. They’ve slowed to once every three…
Read MoreFL: Registrant Denied Access to Hospital For Son’s Surgery
[floridaactioncommittee.org] A member contacted us this week. He’s on the registry for an offense that took place over 15 years ago. He brought his son to Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando for surgery and was denied access at the door because of his status on the registry. These policies that prevent former offenders from ever parenting their children are ridiculous! When someone looks back on their childhood and reflects on the meaningful events when a parent was there for them, they think of sporting events, graduations, illnesses. Laws that banish…
Read MoreOR: OSU to require students with felony convictions, sex-offender status to self-report
[katu.com] CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State University said Thursday that a new policy will go into effect this fall that will require new and continuing students to self-report past felony convictions and whether they are registered sex offenders before enrolling in classes. The new policy was formed after it was reported in June 2017 that the university’s star baseball pitcher Luke Heimlich was a registered sex offender and had admitted to molesting a 6-year-old girl in 2010 when he was a teenager. Read more
Read More