CA: New Bill Could Change the Way Sex Offenders are Registered
Some sex offenders could soon lose their lifelong registration in the state of California. That’s if a new bill headed to the California Senate is signed into law.
“It really changes it drastically, which is not fair to us as parents and our community and keeping us safe,” said Mika Moulton, with Christopher’s Clubhouse.
As the law stands all sex offenders in the state are registered for life, no matter the severity of the crime. SB 421 seeks to establish a tiered registration system based on the type of offense a sex offender has committed. Moulton said this change will cost us.
“The sex offender registry began in 1947 but it went back to 1944. So now we have to go back to 1944 and see who is still around in California, what their crimes were, would they be in a tier 1 2 or 3. If they’re a tier 3 then they’re on for life but if they’re not where are they on that system. It’s an extensive process that’s going to have to happen,” Moulton said.
The three tiers are broken into years of registration, from 10 years to 20 and then a lifetime. But offenders may petition to request lower tiers.
“So if they’re on there for 10 years, after the first year of being on there they can petition to be taken off. They would go to the law enforcement and then they forward it to the district attorney’s office who writes it to be taken off. So someone who is a tier 1, which means possession of child porn or lewd acts with a child under the age of 14 or selling a minor for illegal acts, those are tier 1 offenses. That’s ridiculous,” Moulton said.
Parents we spoke with have mixed opinions on the bill.
“As a parent I lean toward the black ball them for life. But then as an adult and as a citizen, there are other things that they get labeled for where they aren’t a danger to society as a whole, maybe they got caught doing something they shouldn’t be doing,” said Julie Fleischman who lives in Rancho Mirage.
“I think that’s absolutely absurd. I think they should be on there for life, because once you do it once, you can do it again,” said Rochelle Martinez, a mother of two.
SB 421 is currently in the preliminary stages and Moulton wants to keep it that way.
“I felt it really important for me to travel up to Sacramento and try and speak to legislators. I’m trying really hard to get appointments and I’m having a difficult time with my own senator (Sen. Jeff Stone), as a constitute. He is on this Public Safety Committee and will vote on this on Tuesday, so I haven’t been able to talk to him yet,” Moulton said.
On Tuesday, the bill goes to the Public Safety Committee for a vote, but before then Moulton said she’s going to make her voice heard.
We reached out to Sen. Scott Weiner, the author of the bill, for comment but have not heard back.
I received a call from the city of Ocoee today telling me I cant even list my home as a temporary address in that town where I own my home. The detective that does residency checks twice a year that I should list it to cover myself going to see my wife and work on the house. Now its put me on the radar I feel. I wish city of Ocoee would get sued over banishment practices. I owned my house before they put that ordinance in effect. Now me and my wife are definitely ready to sell the house.
What will it take to push for this in Florida? I mean we have a registrant “homeless” crisis that have called the attention of the media. Perhaps some of those who would qualify for Tier 1 can be removed from the registry and return “Home”.
Most of those who were in prison have found the Lord and started a new life. God forgives and redeems those who fond Him. The world is unforgiving!!
“Though the sins of you people should prove to be as scarlet, they will be made white just like snow; though they should be red like crimson cloth, they will become even like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
This would only be applicable if the bureaucrats imposing the restrictions a Christians. Otherwise they are ‘clueless’ to it.
I dont understand. I thought this bill was sb 695 is this sb 421 the same or a different one? Lara was the author of the 695. Honestly no one offers clarity on these situations.
Read Janice’s Journal for more information: http://all4consolaws.org/2017/04/janices-journal-tiered-registry-bill-is-reborn/
When is the possibiiity of a tiered program coming to florida? I know texas and florida usually follow California but it seems florida to be lacking in that department. I’m at a point now of putting my house up for sale because I cant live there at all in that city. I would be considered a tier 1 in other states. 20 yrs of hard work in that house just to have to move. I’m waiting for the money bubble to burst and florida wake up and realize the expense that they are carrying. If the public had any Idea what being paid for on person to be incarcerated for a year, ricks scott’s telephone wouldn’t stop ringing.
Not this year and unlikely next.
Seems that there are a few in California who have ‘sipped the coolade’ and chosen to totally ignore the facts. May they have a family member put on the registry. That would maybe wake them up to reality. They seem to think that if someone does something wrong they are destined to do more wrong the rest of their lives. I then must assume…and I don’t like to do that because that is what they are doing…that anyone who commits any kind of crime is going to be a criminal for life. That pretty much does away with the justification for a Department of Corrections since they stand no hope of correcting anything. And since we have all do some wrongs in our lives we then must too assume that all citizens are ‘bad actors’. Will the last citizen locked up please turn off the lights!