[Sen. Runner] – State Sen. Sharon Runner announced Tuesday her legislation to make sex-offender residency restrictions more workable, while keeping the integrity of voter approved Jessica’s Law intact was struck down by the Senate Public Safety Committee. Senate Bill 54 sought to clarify confusion caused by In Re Taylor, the recent decision of the California Supreme Court regarding CDCR’s enforcement of sex offenders in San Diego County.
SB 54 was killed on a party-line vote, with the committee’s liberal majority voting against the measure.
“I am disappointed the Democrats on the Senate Public Safety Committee do not understand the importance of this bill,” said Runner, R-Antelope Valley. “The California Supreme Court decision creates uncertainty. County governments need a clear process to protect voter approved residency restrictions when possible and expedite relief when necessary. SB 54 provided much needed clarity.”
SB 54 would have granted the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of each county primary jurisdiction to consolidate and hear petitions challenging the 2,000 foot residency restriction as laid out in Jessica’s Law. The Court could grant relief if it was established that there was a pervasive lack of compliant housing in a particular county.
The bill also clarified how 2,000 feet should be measured and ensured only violent sex offenders would be subject to the residency restriction.
“As an author of Jessica’s Law, I continue to stand behind the package of reforms that have made California’s communities safer,” said Runner. “The residency restrictions outlined in Jessica’s Law protect the safety of California’s children.”
Runner authored voter-approved Jessica’s Law along with her husband, Board of Equalization Vice Chair George Runner, in 2006. In addition to mandatory residency restrictions for sex offenders, the comprehensive law increased penalties for the most egregious sex offenses and provides law enforcement with more tools to impede, apprehend and incarcerate sex offenders.
SB 54 garnered support from law enforcement and public safety groups including the Association of Code Enforcement Officers, Association of Deputy District Attorneys, California College and University Police Chiefs Association, California Narcotics Officers Association, Crime Victims United, the Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association.
Sharon Runner represents teh Antelope Valley, Victor Valley and portions of the Santa Clarita Valley in the state Senate.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
7 Comments
No Sharon, the experts say residency restrictions are a public safety HAZARD. You are not expert by any means just a vote grabbing, ethic less politician from the Sticks. Congrats on failin again.
Establishing a 2,000 foot residency restriction zone makes no sense. In many communities, it effectively banishes sex offenders. Such a violation of the Constitution is easily challenged in court and would be overturned after wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to defend. Even if not found to be a violation (highly unlikely), sex offenders would be banished to another area where they would be forced to congregate in great numbers, mostly becoming homeless. The California Sex Offender Management Board confirms that homeless sex offenders utilize millions in additional resources, are not as easily tracked (even with GPS), and pose a danger to our communities and children unlike their counterparts who have housing, treatment, a support system, and employment. Maybe the time has come to think with our brains rather than continue the hysteria of Runner’s senseless witch hunt.
#1. Why didnt you bother to hear from the other side (i.e., the committee’s Democrats) to hear their reasons for voting against SB54?
2. … supported by “the Association of Code Enforcement Officers”?? You mean, the guys who give me a citation for having an overgrown lawn? Are you serious??
The fastest growing population of the sex offender Registry are “criminal aliens”. To propose or even consider allowing these Illegal criminals closer proximity to our families is ludicrous at best.
Leave it to career criminal Valerie “Valigator” Parkhurst of Ft Lauderdale FL, with her multiple arrests in Broward Co FL for aggravated assault, to turn this into a race issue.
Residency laws have been proven to be bad public policy. Runner is too busy running her mouth instead of listening to the facts. Perhaps it is time Runner is run out of office.
People who support residency and/or presence “restrictions” are not Americans. They are immoral, un-American, harassing terrorists who are at war with all good Americans. Americans must neutralize them.
And for some reason, the terrorists want people who have SHOT CHILDREN WITH GUNS IN SCHOOLS, PARKS, ETC., to live right next door to those places. I guess they want them to get better shots next time? They also want people who have run meth houses and blown them up to be right next to schools. I guess to be close to their customers? They also want people who drive drunk during the day to be by schools. Why? The terrorists want people who have gotten angry that children were crossing their lawns and then beat them nearly to death with a shovel to live next door to schools, parks, etc. I guess so they can murder children?
Why is that the terrorists want anyone who has committed any type of crime to live next to schools, parks, etc. unless it was a sex crime? The reason is because their un-American harassment has nothing to do with “public safety”, “protecting children”, or any of those other lies that they tell.
We need to do more than neutralize the terrorists, we need to get them out of America.
Ms runner is a LIAR what about the people 25 years since crime you going to make there kid homeless this should be for high level not people that crime happened 25 years ago