The Fullerton City Council voted 4 to 1 to revise its sex offender ordinance by removing all presence restrictions. The vote took place on May 21 and a second vote is required to finalize the Council’s decision. “The City of Fullerton is to be commended for its decision to remove presence restrictions from its ordinance,” stated CA RSOL President Janice Bellucci. “After the revisions become effective, registered citizens will be free to visit parks and other recreational areas within the city without the fear of arrest.” Fullerton is 1 of…
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Huntington Beach repeals sex offender park ban
HUNTINGTON BEACH – After one lawsuit and threats of lawsuits from civil rights groups, Huntington Beach has joined the list of Orange County cities that have repealed an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from entering parks without permission from the police chief. Full Article
Read MoreOrange County Upcoming Parks Ban Repeal Hearings
Huntington Beach (May 19, 2014) Consideration is requested whether to repeal Ordinance No. 3926 prohibiting registered sex offenders from entering City parks due to a Court of Appeal decision invalidating an identical ordinance. Meeting Agenda Summary of Parks Restrictions in Orange County as of 4/29/2014 Fullerton (May 20, 2014) At the May 6, 2014 meeting, the City Council directed staff to receive and analyze recommendations from a Fullerton citizen. Staff and the City Attorney have been in communication and received recommendations from this citizen. After reviewing the recommendations, it is…
Read MoreRancho Santa Margarita repeals ban on sex offenders in parks
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – The City Council voted to repeal an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from entering city parks without permission from the city’s chief of police. The move comes after a state appeals court in January struck down similar bans in Irvine and at county recreational areas. The state Supreme Court in April declined to review the lower court’s decision. Full Article
Read MoreWasco Ordinance Challenged in Federal District Court [updated with media links]
The City of Wasco was sued today in federal district court challenging its sex offender ordinance. This lawsuit is the eighth in a series of lawsuits filed during an 8-week period. “Despite a series of letter warnings starting on January 20, the City of Wasco has failed to repeal its sex offender ordinance which violates both the state and federal constitutions,” stated CA RSOL President Janice Bellucci. “The Wasco ordinance denies the constitutionally protected right to public information through its prohibition of visiting the city’s public library. In addition, the…
Read MoreLaguna Hills may reverse sex-offender park ban in wake of court rulings
LAGUNA HILLS – The City Council on Tuesday will consider reversing an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from city parks and private parks run by homeowners associations. … … Also a factor for Laguna Hills is the threat of litigation by the California Reform Sexual Offender Laws organization and the American Civil Liberties Union if the ordinance is not repealed, according to the staff report. Full Article Staff Report
Read MoreSanta Ana Ordinance Challenged in Federal District Court
The City of Santa Ana was sued today in federal district court challenging a city ordinance that prohibits some registered citizens from being on or within 300 feet of city libraries, learning centers, schools, parks and museums. Santa Ana is the 7th city or county to be sued in a period of seven weeks. “The City of Santa Ana ordinance violates both the federal and state constitutions,” stated CA RSOL president Janice Bellucci. “California RSOL warned the city about its ordinance both in writing and through testimony prior to its passage,…
Read MoreFullerton Council to Revise Sex Offender Ban in Parks
Fullerton’s ban on convicted sex offenders in city parks will likely be revised in the wake of court rulings and a potential lawsuit. Since the 1940s, California has wrestled with laws that deal with convicted sex offenders and what they can and cannot do after they are released from prison and complete parole. In the past four years, about half of Orange County cities adopted laws that banned adults convicted of sexually abusing children from living near or going into city parks. Full Article
Read MoreSacramento County sued over sex offender ordinance
Sacramento County became the latest governmental entity Wednesday to be sued over an ordinance limiting the movements of registered sex offenders near parks and other public places, but the practical effect of the suit may be negligible. Full Article
Read MoreCity of Duarte to Repeal Ordinance
The City of Duarte is expected to repeal its sex offender ordinance, according to a letter from City Attorney Dan Slater dated April 30. According to that letter, the actions are the result of “a threat” from California RSOL to sue the City if it did not repeal its ordinance. The City Attorney noted in his letter the California Supreme Court decision dated April 23, 2014, which denied review of two decisions by the Court of Appeal which determined that offender laws by cities, similar to that adopted by Duarte,…
Read MoreSacramento County Ordinance Challenged in Federal Court
A lawsuit challenging a sex offender ordinance adopted by Sacramento County was filed today in federal district court. This lawsuit is the sixth in a series of lawsuits challenging sex offender ordinances adopted by local governments that prohibit the presence of registered citizens within their jurisdictions. “Sacramento County adopted an ordinance that violates both the state and federal constitutions,” stated attorney Janice Bellucci. “The ordinance is also preempted by state law as determined by the California Court of Appeal in the Nguyen and Godinez cases. The California Supreme Court denied…
Read MoreWhere are sex offenders? Jessica’s Law complicates monitoring
The number of homeless sex offenders has skyrocketed since Jessica’s Law went into effect, and after the recent arrest of two serial killer suspects some experts say the law to protect women and children is backfiring. Unable to live near schools and parks, some registered offenders end up living on the streets, making it difficult for them to find jobs and forcing them into areas where they end up congregating. Before the residency restrictions brought by Jessica’s Law eight years ago, 88 paroled sex offenders were registered as transient in California.…
Read MoreCities scramble after sex offender ruling
Three cities and San Diego County are reviewing their bans on sex offenders being near schools and parks this week after the California Supreme Court declined to review lower court rulings declaring similar restrictions illegal. National City, La Mesa, Santee and the county have all adopted ordinances that prohibit sex offenders from being within 300 feet of a school, day care center, arcade, playground, park or amusement center, to some degree. Full Article
Read MoreCALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS BAN ON CITY, COUNTY ORDINANCES
[Updated with media links] The California Supreme Court today denied review of a lower court’s decision that, in effect, bans cities and counties from enforcing ordinances that restrict where a registered citizen may be present or near. Review by the Court was requested by the Orange County District Attorney. “Today’s decision is a major victory,” stated CA RSOL President Janice Bellucci. “Through its denial to review a lower court decision, the California Supreme Court has ruled that ordinances in more than 70 cities and 5 counties are preempted by existing…
Read MoreSanta Maria attorney files sex offender lawsuit against Lompoc
A Santa Maria attorney has filed a complaint in federal district court on behalf of a Grover Beach resident against the city of Lompoc over a sex offender ordinance the city adopted, claiming it violates both the federal and state constitutions. Attorney Janice Bellucci, who also serves as president of the California chapter of the nonprofit organization Reform Sex Offender Laws, filed the complaint on behalf of registered sex offender Frank Lindsay, 61, who serves as a board member for the chapter. Full Article
Read MoreLOMPOC SEX OFFENDER ORDINANCE CHALLENGED IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT
Lompoc is the fifth city whose sex offender ordinance is being challenged in federal district court. The lawsuit was filed on April 21 in the U.S. District Court Central Division. “The City of Lompoc was notified in January that its ordinance violates the state and federal constitutions yet the city failed to either repeal or stay enforcement of that ordinance,” stated attorney Janice Bellucci. “Lompoc did not learn the lesson of the first four cities to be sued — Pomona, South Lake Tahoe, National City and Carson — earlier this…
Read MoreKeeping kids safe
‘In response’ letter to the editor on National City’s sex offender ordinance, for April 19, 2014 I think the point of our ordinance was missed by the April 16 editorial “Sex-offender laws lead to more crimes.” The state has full control of residence requirements for predatory sex offenders of children. Our ordinance has nothing to do with where a person resides, but instead it addresses where they spend their time. If individuals who have proved themselves to be predatory sex offenders of children are in our communities, we want them…
Read MoreWhen sex-offender laws promote more crimes
National City has become the latest California city to face a lawsuit from a registered San Luis Obispo County sex offender over its sex-offender regulations. _____ ____, 61, of Grover Beach, contends such local ordinances are superseded by Jessica’s Law, the 2006 measure adopted by California voters. Full Article
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