The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) is dedicated to protecting the Constitution by restoring the civil rights of registrants and their families. In order to achieve that objective, ACSOL will educate and litigate as well as support or oppose legislation. The ACSOL website and recordings are provided as a service to registrants, registrants’ families, and others for general information only. The information on the website and in the recordings are not designed to provide legal or other advice or to create an attorney-client relationship. You should not take, or refrain from taking, action based on their content. Prior results and case studies do not guarantee a similar outcome in future representations. ACSOL accepts no responsibility for any loss or damages that may result from accessing or reliance on content on the ACSOL website and recordings and disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all liability with respect to acts or omissions made by registrants, registrants’ families and others on the basis of content on the ACSOL website.
Important News / Announcements
General News Feed
UK: Children In The UK As Young As 4 Are Being Investigated and Given Criminal Records For Sexting
[inquisitr.com - 12/30/19] Thousands of children across the United Kingdom — some as young as four years old — have been investigated by the police for “sexting” — that is, consensually sharing sexually explicit images of themselves with each other, The Guardian reports. In some cases, the children have even been given criminal records. Laws against child pornography have been around for decades, intended...
AR: Sex-offender housing laws raise hitch
Legislators have passed several laws over the past couple of decades that limit where sex offenders can live in hopes of keeping communities safe, but some state officials say such laws often impede registrants from successful rehabilitation. Arkansas prison officials say they must figure out a better way of housing sex offenders released from prison because a growing number of them are homeless and...
Emotional Support Group Meetings
Emotional support meetings provide individuals required to register, their family members, and their friends, an opportunity to discuss personal challenges and share their experiences, strengths and hopes. They are not the same as monthly ACSOL phone conference meetings. The support meetings do not discuss legal issues, bills, and laws. They are based upon the format of 12 Step meetings. Media, law enforcement, parole, etc....
NY: Make Plea Bargains In Felony Sex Abuse Cases More Difficult
[post-journal.com - 12/20/19] New York state doesn’t want to be too harsh on those convicted of crimes. That thought applies to the intransigence of state Democrats to broach the idea of tweaking their much-criticized criminal justice reforms just as it does to a piece of common-sense legislation that has been introduced for the past six years in the state Legislature without ever becoming law....
CA: State court revives psychotherapist challenge to law on patients who reveal child porn activity
[sfchronicle.com - 12/26/19] The California Supreme Court revived a challenge by psychotherapists Thursday to a state law requiring them to notify the government about any patient who has viewed child pornography. The law, passed in 2014, expanded statutes from the 1980s that required therapists to report to police or child welfare offices — or face loss of their licenses and criminal prosecution — when...
IL: Illinois law will remove the statute of limitations for adult sex crimes
[mdjonline.com - 12/26/19] A new law will remove the statute of limitations for sexual assault crimes in Illinois. Lawmakers passed House Bill 2135 this spring. Oswego state Rep. Keith Wheeler introduced the measure in the House. Aurora state Sen. Linda Holmes introduced the Senate version. The law will remove the statute of limitations for the prosecution of sexual assault crimes against adults. General Counsel for the...
Kat’s Blog: Pardons and Commutations
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin spent some of his last days in office/2019 issuing pardons and commutations. A fine gift of “peace on earth and good will towards men” if you ask me. But there are grinches among us. Many people were not quite so happy with the Governor’s actions when word got out that some of those pardons and commutations went to those who...
NY: Cuomo: Make Sex Offenders Disclose Dating, Gaming User Names
[nbcnewyork.com - 12/22/19] New York's governor says convicted sex offenders should be required to disclose their social media screen names to prevent them from using apps to exploit children. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that existing laws targeting online predation don't account for new technology. His proposal, unveiled as part of his State of the State agenda, would require sex offenders to hand over...
Kat’s Blog: No Excuse for Disrespect
As the family members of registrants, it’s often hard to hear the stories of the disrespect that our loved ones endure on a daily basis. They are often disrespected by the public, media, law enforcement, city, state, government officials and others because of their status. Too often, there’s been little that registrants could do about the way they were treated. As advocates for our...
ACSOL Emotional Support Group Meetings Available: Sat, Dec 28 in L.A.; Most Thursdays in Sac; Monthly on the phone
Emotional Support Group meetings will be held for those convicted of a sex offense and their loved ones. This meeting, which is based upon the format of 12 Step meetings, provides registrants and their loved ones with an opportunity to discuss personal challenges and share their experiences, strengths and hopes, with each other. Attendance is limited to individuals required to register, family members, and...
TX: Texas Sex Offender Registry Upheld by Fifth Circuit
[bloomberglaw.com - 12/17/19] The Texas Sex Offender Registration Program, which requires sex offenders to make in person reports and restricts housing options, doesn’t violate the U.S. Constitution by depriving registrants of due process, the Fifth Circuit ruled. An individual convicted of a sex crime in a trial or plea agreement has received the minimum protections required by due process, the U.S. Court of Appeals...
MA: Mass. legislators call for hearing after report details sex offenders received trade licenses
[wickedlocal.com - 12/17/19 - Employment restrictions] The chairs of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure want an oversight hearing and an “immediate and thorough investigation” into how sex offenders were able to obtain state licenses to work in various trades and professions. Sen. Paul Feeney and Rep. Tackey Chan issued a joint statement on Monday afternoon, responding to a Boston Globe...
ME: Old Town will restrict where sex offenders can live
[bangordailynews.com - 12/17/19] OLD TOWN, Maine — Registered sex offenders who have been convicted of felony-level sex crimes will be restricted from living within 750 feet of areas that children frequent, according to a new ordinance the city council unanimously approved during a special meeting on Monday, Dec. 16. The ordinance prohibits offenders from living within 750 feet of schools, playgrounds, parks or daycares,...
Living with 290: Effects on a sex offenders family
My family has been going through a rough patch lately with law enforcement. My mom’s longtime boyfriend, the man that we have claimed as our dad. He has become such a part of the family and taught us so much over the years that we claim him as our dad. In October of 2018, we refused a search - he did not. My mother...
Living with 290: Jim Crow Redux
Being a registrant for the past 34 years because of a plea deal on a misdemeanor in California, I find it very disheartening to see such non-uniformity in the administration of justice with sex offenses. If I didn't have a disabled wife to caretake for I would move to a state where there's more leniency. I live in Arizona where my city is one...
Janice’s Journal: A Line in the Sand
We have drawn a line in the sand. No longer will we accept governmental decisions that exclude registrants from benefits provided to the rest of society. Instead, we will challenge in court those decisions which are based upon the myth that registrants "always" re-offend. There are three such challenges now pending in state courts in California. The first challenge is to a decision by...
IL: Wayside Cross child sex offender residents receive new notices citing proximity to Aurora park
[chicagotribune.com - 12/13/19] For the second time this year, child sex offenders who live at Wayside Cross Ministries in Aurora were given letters stating they must find a new place to live within 30 days. An Aurora police officer delivered letters to 19 residents who were scheduled to receive them around 7:30 a.m. Friday morning, police spokesman Paris Lewbel said. The letters said the...
Kat’s Blog: Will Pennsylvania Ruling Begin the Domino Effect We Need?
Pennsylvania’s “Sex Offender” Registry is headed for what some are calling a life-or-death battle in the PA Supreme Court. The registry, in existence for nearly a quarter of a century, enacted as part of Megan’s Law, a law giving the public a false sense of security by allowing them access to know who and where “sex offenders” lived in their communities, is about to...
‘The Dr Phil Show’ uncovers new form of vigilantism by ‘pedophile hunters’ who ‘honeytrap’ child molesters and publicly shame them
[meaww.com - 12/11/19] Wednesday’s episode of ‘The Dr. Phil Show’ featured a unique phenomenon. Vigilante “pedophile-hunters” are a thing. Dr. Phil described it as a “controversial form of vigilantism that law enforcement is just not in favor of.” What these hunters, who are regular citizens, do is they bait potential child molesters to arrive at a certain location. They then catch them on camera...
NY: Town adopts hotel/motel, special events laws
[uticaod.com - 12/11/19] New law sets limit on number of registered sex offenders who can stay at a hotel or motel HERKIMER — The Herkimer town board adopted a pair of local laws Monday — one dealing with hotels and motels and the other with special events. The local law requiring the licensing of hotels and motels in the town of Herkimer was adopted...