WASCO, Calif. – A sex offender ordinance in Wasco challenged by a law firm has been thrown out. The ordinance adopted by the city in 2007 restricted offenders from getting 300 feet near of public or private places. This involved public libraries, schools, parks, bus stops and child care centers. A Central Coast law office challenged that ordinance on grounds that it was too broad and violated offenders’ constitutional rights. As part of the settlement, the city of Wasco must now pay legal fees. Article Related
Read MoreTag: Presence Restrictions
Hesperia 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 MoreCity of Orange Eliminates Presence Restrictions and Stops Enforcement of Residency Restrictions
In a vote of 4 to 1, the City Council for the City of Orange agreed on August 12 to eliminate all presence restrictions that prohibited registered citizens from visiting public libraries, parks, bus stops, schools and restaurants with playgrounds. The City Council also agreed to stop enforcement of its residency restrictions which prohibited more than one registered citizen staying in a local hotel or motel until the California Supreme Court determines whether residency restrictions are constitutional. The dissenting vote cast on this issue during the August 12 meeting was…
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 The suit alleges the entire ordinance must be repealed, but the city attorney is recommending only one section pertaining to parks be removed.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 MoreWA: Sex offenders arrested in Pasco’s Peanuts Park say they didn’t know it is a park
Two high-risk sex offenders stopped in downtown Pasco’s Peanuts Park on the same day claimed they didn’t know the one-acre concrete plaza is a designated city park. Full Article Photo View of Peanuts Park
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 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 MorePeople Confront Exclusion Zones
Steven Yoder has written a wonderful piece which describes how people in various communities are fighting back against the use of exclusion zones, especially as a condition of electronic monitoring. Exclusion zones most frequently are used against people with sex offense convictions. The rules for exclusion zones typically ban certain groups of people from coming within a certain distance of places where children are likely to congregate-like schools, parks, and churches. Full Blog Post Article by Steven Yoder: Do Residency Bans Drive Sex Offenders Underground?
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 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
Read MoreLompoc council to consider changes to sex offender ordinance [UPDATED with more media and video]
Lompoc’s City Council members tonight will consider easing loitering restrictions in the city’s sex offender ordinance to conform to state law, and temporarily suspending enforcement of residency limitations for registered offenders. Full Article City Council Hearing Video (click on #9) Update 7/16: Lompoc Council OKs settlement with registered sex offender (Lompoc Record) Update 7/17: To Settle Lawsuit, Lompoc Council Agrees to Ease Restrictions for Sex Offenders (Noozhawk)
Read MoreRiverside County moves to keep some sex offender limits
RIVERSIDE – Riverside County supervisors indicated Tuesday they would continue to limit where convicted sex offenders can live while repealing an ordinance saying offenders cannot go near schools and other places children gather. Full Article
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