Source: mysuncoast.com 3/31/26 SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two Florida bills aimed at increasing penalties in child sexual abuse cases and requiring custody for certain convicted defendants before sentencing. Speaking at the Tampa Bay Regional Operational Center at FDLE, DeSantis said the laws are meant to strengthen protections for children and prevent offenders from remaining free after conviction. One of the measures, House Bill 445, is known as “Missy’s Law.” DeSantis said the bill requires judges to remand certain convicted defendants to custody pending sentencing. DeSantis tied…
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FL: Florida’s new sex offender registrant restrictions will not improve public safety
Source: reason.org 4/30/26 Making it impossible for people to find a place to live after serving their sentences is harsh and counterproductive to preventing further crimes. Florida lawmakers are preparing to add new restrictions on where certain registered sex offenders are allowed to live, blocking them from housing near public pools, which include splash pads and a variety of water recreation attractions. While presented as a way of protecting children from predators, in truth, these new rules would push registrants farther into the shadows, into homelessness, and in some…
Read MoreOR: Oregon Supreme Court reverses child sex abuse conviction on privacy grounds
Source: philomathnews.com 3/29/26 The Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a Lane County man’s conviction for encouraging child sex abuse, ruling that local authorities subjected him to a warrantless search when monitoring his use of a restaurant’s free wireless internet network. In 2018 and 2019, Oakridge resident Randall De Witt Simons had accessed an A&W restaurant’s wireless internet network which extended into the range of his own home in Lane County. The network required a terms of service agreement, which noted that the restaurant chain may cooperate with legal authorities…
Read MoreUT: Utah Court of Appeals Upholds Dismissal of Child Sexual Abuse Accusations
Source: reason.com 3/25/26 An excerpt from the detailed discussion in State v. Murphy, decided Thursday by the Utah Court of Appeals (Judge David Mortensen, joined by Judges Gregory Orme and Ryan Harris): … Murphy was charged with aggravated sexual abuse and sodomy on a child for incidents that had occurred many years prior involving the son (Jonathan) of one of Murphy’s former close friends (Mother). The magistrate, citing lack of evidence at a preliminary hearing to establish probable cause that Murphy committed the alleged abuse, declined to bind Murphy over for…
Read MorePA: Two boys made deepfake porn of 60 girls. It left a school, small town reeling
Source: usatoday.com 3/23/26 LANCASTER, PA – It’s hard to describe the city of Lancaster as anything other than quaint. Its vibrant but small downtown is peppered with coffee shops, bookstores and friendly locals. It has charm in abundance. The same can be said for the upscale Lancaster Country Day School, a K-12 private school in the area that hosts just over 600 kids. They frolic around in matching uniforms and play on crisp green grass once school lets out. Perhaps that’s why the AI-generated sexual abuse scandal that recently rocked this town…
Read MoreOH: Commentary: This Middleburg Heights law targets ‘violent’ offenders. Here’s why it will fail
Source: cleveland.com 3/16/26 CLEVELAND, Ohio — Let me start with an uncomfortable disclaimer: This column is going to poke holes in a policy that its supporters say was designed to protect children. I understand why that makes people uneasy. When lawmakers say they’re acting to keep kids safe, most of us want to believe the solution must be a good one. But public safety policy shouldn’t be judged by its intentions. It should be judged by whether it actually works. Let’s consider a recent ordinance passed by Middleburg Heights City…
Read MoreFL: Child predators, AI abuse material penalties getting harsher in Florida
Source: tallahassee.com 3/10/26 Florida lawmakers passed a bill to increase penalties for child sexual abuse crimes. The bill also targets AI-generated child sexual abuse material, making its creation and transmission a second-degree felony. It replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” in state law. Florida lawmakers want to crack down on child sexual predators and AI child sex images or video. A sweeping bill approved Monday, March 8, by the Senate and approved by the House last week would dramatically increase penalties for child sex crimes and…
Read MoreNC: Ex-inmate buys prison to offer housing and job training for others
Source: goodnewsinstead.com At just 18, Kerwin Pittman found himself facing the challenges of life behind bars due to a conspiracy to commit murder. However, after spending 11 and a half years incarcerated, including a year in solitary confinement, he emerged with a renewed sense of purpose. Now, eight years after his release, he is making history as the first former inmate to purchase a prison in the United States. Following his release, Pittman dedicated himself to advocating for social justice, establishing the Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, Inc. (RREPS), a…
Read MoreWA: Proposed registered sex offender housing site in Kennewick vandalized again
Source: nbcrightnow.com 3/2/26 KENNEWICK, Wash. – The site of the proposed less restrictive alternative (LRA) housing facility for registered sex offenders in Kennewick was vandalized overnight on Monday, according to Kennewick Police Department officer Jair Ealy-Thomas. The site, on West 8th Avenue, has been the source of controversy in recent weeks and faced opposition from the Kennewick City Council and Kennewick School District. Watch the video
Read MoreFL: Bill upping prison time for child sexual predators heading to Senate floor
Source: floridapolitics.com 3/2/26 The legislation comes as Attorney General James Uthmeier has stepped up action against child sexual predators. A bill designed to increase prison sentences for child sex offenders is now heading to the Senate floor. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee has advanced the measure, completing the Committee review process in the upper chamber. “This bill increases penalties and creates mandatory prison sentences for the most serious sex crimes, especially those involving children,” said Sen. Jonathan Martin, a Fort Myers Republican who sponsored the bill (SB 1750). “This deals with child pornography…
Read MoreGA: Georgia “One Strike Act”: Even More Life Sentences, Even Less Parole
Source: filtermag.org 3/2/26 In late February, senators in Georgia introduced a bill known as the One Strike Act. Though the name—a riff of sorts on the better-known “three strikes” approach—and marketing imply mandatory life sentences on first-time convictions of the most serious felonies, the bill is primarily about lengthening sentences and removing parole for any and all felonies. Senate Bill 592 is cosponsored by State Senator Steve Gooch (R), a former senate majority leader and current candidate for lieutenant governor. Gooch, a noted proponent of mass incarceration, was also a cosponsor…
Read MoreFlorida registrants: Please help with research on your experience on Florida’s registry
Source: School of Psychology at Fielding Graduate University A doctoral research study through the School of Psychology at Fielding Graduate University is seeking participants to explore the lived experiences of individuals on Florida’s Sexual Offender Registry. The purpose of this study is to better understand how being on the registry impacts daily life. Participation involves taking part in a confidential interview that will last approximately 60 minutes. Participation is completely voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any time. Participants will be compensated $50 for their participation. No identifying information will…
Read MoreTX: NARSOL Sues Texas for Excluding Federal Convictions from State Registry Removal
Source: floridaactioncommittee.org 2/26/26 NARSOL has filed suit on behalf of registrants in Texas who were convicted of a sexual offense in federal court, claiming the state’s process for petitioning for removal from the registry excludes them, because they were not convicted by a Texas court (a requirement for removal). The class action complaint alleges, “Article 62.404 provides a mechanism for early termination of registration. Under that provision, an eligible registrant may seek relief after completing the minimum required registration period and undergoing an individualized risk assessment conducted by CSOT. If…
Read MoreNJ: Out-of-state sex offenders can challenge registration requirement, court rules
Source: newjerseymonitor.com 2/23/26 Authorities must weigh whether a sex offender convicted in other states committed a crime similar to a Megan’s Law offense before forcing them to register under the law in New Jersey, an appellate court found Monday. The ruling, which ordered two cases in Secaucus and Union City reopened motions to dismiss and reversed a conviction in the Secaucus case, says authorities in both cases failed to perform an analysis required by law before charging the two men with failing to notify authorities that they had moved. “Indicting…
Read MoreSC: Rep. Nancy Mace introduces hateful new bill to block registrants from entering federally funded shelters
Source: counton2.com 2/20/26 CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Congresswoman Nancy Mace introduced a bill Friday that would prohibit individuals who are registered on the National Sex Offender Registry from entering or receiving services at federally funded domestic violence and homeless shelters. The introduced bill is called the ‘Safe Shelters for Survivors Act of 2026’ and would block federally funded shelters from housing those who are required to register on the National Sex Offender Registry, or lose their federal funding. South Carolina is sixth in the nation for domestic violence, and many…
Read MoreAL: Alabama Senate Bill 199 would put more restrictions on sex offenders, limit Internet access
Source: aldailynews.com 2/19/26 [Alabama residents start calling, writing, and showing up now] A bill moving through the Legislature could put new restrictions on sex offenders convicted of crimes against children, including preventing them from access to the Internet. Senate Bill 199 was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday with sponsor Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, agreeing that additional work on the bill may be needed. The bill says any adult convicted of a sex offense involving a child “may be restricted by his or her parole or…
Read MoreSC: SC proposal increases minimum prison time for people with child sex abuse images
Source: scdailygazette.com 2/13/26 The bill is advancing as the GOP primary race for governor keeps turning to the topic of prosecuting sex offenders COLUMBIA — People who create or share images of children being sexually abused could be sent to prison for longer under legislation advancing in the Senate. This week’s unanimous vote by a Senate Judiciary panel comes amid continued allegations by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace that her chief rivals in the governor’s race protect pedophiles — which they either deny as ridiculous or decline to respond to…
Read MoreSD: Sex offender restriction bill dies in a House panel
Source: keloland.com 2/11/26 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A bill Republican Rep. Aaron Aylward said was designed to protect children from sex offenders in South Dakota was too broad, several members of the House Judiciary Committee said Wednesday. Aylward’s bill House Bill 1167A was sent to its death on a 41st Day motion. His original bill was amended by removing the word “loitering,” which meant that any sex offender who entered a safety zone would be in violation. Those who voted against the bill said it went too far. “I can’t support this today,” committee member…
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