The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) has reversed its position on an important tiered registry issue. Specifically, the state agency has agreed to delete a sentence included in previously issued tier assignment letters that state individuals whose tiers are “to be determined” must wait until their tier has been assigned before petitioning for removal from the registry. The sentence will also not be included in future tier assignment letters. “Due to this change in position, individuals who receive a tier assignment letter stating that their tier has not yet…
Read MoreTag: SB 384
Janice’s Journal: Tiered Registry Law and Its Early Implementation Significantly Flawed
The Tiered Registry Law, passed in 2017, became effective this month more than three years after it became law. During that long period of time, more than 100,000 people convicted of a sex offense closely watched as the California state government slowly released information regarding the law’s implementation. One positive step in the implementation process was the public release of draft forms that registrants will be required to use when petitioning for removal from the registry. This step included both the opportunity for the public to comment on the draft…
Read MoreCity of Long Beach to Provide Tier Assignment Letters
After refusing to provide registrants with their tier assignment letters, the City of Long Beach has now agreed to provide those letters to registrants three days a week – Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays — between 6:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. The City requests registrants to call 562-570-5692 before coming to the registration office so that their tier assignment letter will be ready for pick up. “We commend the City of Long Beach for its decision to provide registrants with their tier assignment letters,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. According…
Read MoreCalifornia Tiered Registry Experiences (EXPERIENCES ONLY)
As of January 1, 2021 the California Tiered Registry Law became effective. In order to share information about the new law and help others with the petitions, please document your experiences with the process in the comments below. Comments should pertain to actual experiences with the Tiered Registry only. In order to maximize the value to others, feel free to include as many details (city / county, conviction history, etc) as you feel comfortable. All comments not directly relating to experiences with the de-registration process / new law can be…
Read MoreCalifornia Tiered Registry Law Now Effective [UPDATED 1/5/21]
[ACSOL] The Tiered Registry Law (formerly Senate Bill 384), passed by the California state legislature four years ago, is now effective. Some of its provisions, however, will not begin until July 1, 2021. The most important of those provisions is the petitioning process for removal from the registry. “The first step to take in the petitioning process is to go to the law enforcement office where you register and ask for your Tier Assignment letter,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “According to the CA Department of Justice, tier assignment…
Read MoreComments Requested for New Tiered Registry Form
A committee of the CA Judicial Council released today a proposed form that could help registrants prove the date on which they mailed or hand delivered copies of their petition forms to their local registration office and District Attorney. According to the committee, the proposed form is optional as it is not specifically required by the Tiered Registry Law that will become effective next year. “The Tiered Registry Law first requires registration offices to determine a registrant’s eligibility to petition for removal from the registry within 60 days after receipt…
Read MoreCASOMB Discusses Tiered Registry Implementation, Registry Increases
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) discussed two major topics today during its monthly meeting — implementation of the Tiered Registry and continued increases to the number of individuals required to register. During the meeting, the board members were told that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) will assign all individuals required to register to a tier under the Tiered Registry Law. Information regarding the tier assignments will be sent electronically by DOJ to local law enforcement agencies no later than January 1, 2021. Registrants must request their tier…
Read MoreACSOL Lobby Day 2/11 — please keep calling and writing
Thanks to those who showed up on the 2/11 ACSOL Lobby Day, which focused on needed changes to the Tiered Registry Law that will take effect in 2021. Changes included new tier assignments for those convicted of felony offenses involving illegal images and sexual battery as well as creation of an off-ramp for those assigned to the highest tier. We ask that you make phone calls or send letters supporting these changes to the office where we will meet,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “The messages to be delivered…
Read MoreCA DOJ Releases New Information About Tiered Registry Law
The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) has released new information regarding the Tiered Registry Law in the form of Answers to Frequently Asked Questions. A similar document was issued by the agency about two years ago. A link to a copy of the new document is below and can also be found on the website of the Office of the California Attorney General. According to the new information, registrants will be able to request their “tier notification letters” from the local law enforcement agency where they register after January…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: The Big Picture
I founded California Reform Sex Offender Laws, the predecessor of the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) eight years ago in September 2011. I did so after reading the book, “We’re All in This Together”, by Frank Lindsay who was convicted of a single sex offense in 1979. My decision to create this organization was based upon the outrage I experienced after learning that not only Frank’s civil rights, but the civil rights of a large group of people in this country were being violated every day, 24 hours…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: When Will They Learn?
The CA state legislature began a new two-year session just last month. And in that short period of time, legislators are already heading down the wrong path. What path? The path which identifies all individuals convicted of a sex offense as dangerous and likely to commit a new sex offense. For example, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty who is known for his compassion for those who are or have been incarcerated, introduced a bill (AB 277) that would allow parolees to earn “reintegration credits” that could ultimately allow them to travel greater…
Read MoreCA: New Bill Would Expand Lifetime Registration Requirements
Assembly member Melissa Melendez has introduced a bill (AB 884) that would expand the requirement to register for a lifetime to anyone convicted of Penal Code Section 288(a) when the Tiered Registry Law takes effect in 2021. As currently written, the Tiered Registry Law authorizes individuals convicted of the same penal code section to petition for removal from the registry after a minimum of 20 years. “We must stop this bill!” exclaimed ACSOL Exeuctive Director Janice Bellucci. “If the bill is passed, at least 40 percent of the people on…
Read MoreACSOL Leads Lobby Day 2019 in State Capitol
ACSOL led about 40 registrants, family members and supporters in Lobby Day 2019 in the CA State Capitol. The participants were organized into 6 teams led by Team Leaders experienced in lobbying the state legislature. Lobby Day 2019 included twenty-eight scheduled meetings in the offices of newly elected and Public Safety Committee members in both the Assembly and the Senate as well as at least a dozen unscheduled meetings in the offices of elected officials who represent districts in which the participants reside. “The two primary purposes of Lobby Day 2019…
Read MoreCA: Changing Minds: Master student’s thesis challenges views on sex offender laws
A California law that will go into effect in 2021 is set to bring about the most sweeping changes ever to sex offender laws in the state. SB384 will allow most sex offenders to petition to be removed from the public registries in 10 to 20 years after they are released from prison, as long as they have not committed another serious or violent felony. Full Article PUBLIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS CALIFORNIA’S NEW LAW TO END LIFETIME SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION – Masters Thesis
Read MoreWhy kids don’t belong on sex offender registry
California took an important step toward ending the abusive practice of putting kids on sex offender registries when Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 384, which allows juveniles to petition for their removal after five or 10 years. Full Opinion Piece
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: The Stage is Set
The stage is set. The Governor has signed the tiered registry bill into law, a law that opens a wide gap in the dam of California’s “Lifetime Registry for All”. A dam that was in place for 70 years. It is now our job to widen that gap. The Tiered Registry will take effect in January 2021, about 3 ½ years from now. While it is truly unfortunate that those who will benefit from the “new” tiered registry will have to wait so long, the lengthy gestation period for the…
Read MoreCA: Governor Brown Signs Equality California-Sponsored Bill to Reform California’s Sex Offender Registry
[Equality California] Sacramento–California Gov. Jerry Brown today signed a bill to reform California’s sex offender registry, creating a tiered system that will make the registry a more effective tool for law enforcement and bring California’s system in line with the rest of the United States. SB 384 was authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and co-authored by Senators Joel Anderson (R- Alpine), Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), and Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). The bill was sponsored by Equality California, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, the California Coalition Against Sexual…
Read MoreCA: CASOMB Discusses Tiered Registry Bill
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) discussed the Tiered Registry Bill and registrant statistics during its monthly meeting today. The discussion included a detailed account of the history of the Tiered Registry Bill as well as its future. Dan Felizzatto, the lead lobbyist for the Los Angeles District Attorney (DA), who was the bill’s sponsor, led today’s discussion. The lobbyist stated that the bill is the result of a “team effort” that included a diverse group including law enforcement, victims rights groups, Equality California and the ACLU. He noted…
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