header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


Appropriations staff analysis questions cost and efficacy of legislation requiring offenders to register their e-mail addresses.
| Friday, Aug 26, 2011

An Assembly panel killed a bipartisan bill Friday that would have forced convicted sex offenders to register their various e-mail addresses and social networking user names with law enforcement agencies.

The author of the legislation is not pleased.

“This is completely outrageous,” Sen. Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster, said in a statement. “I cannot comprehend the reasoning behind this ridiculous vote.”

It had passed the Senate on June 1 by a margin of 33-2. On Friday it died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, where it met with an unfavorable analysis from the staff of committee chairman Felipe Fuentes, D-Arleta.

Runner’s bill, SB 57, was sponsored by three Democrats and two other Republicans in the Senate. The Assembly version was sponsored by four Democrats and three Republicans including Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, and Steve Knight, R-Palmdale.

Paroled sex offenders already are required to register their addresses with local law enforcement agencies. SB 57 would have required the same offenders to register their “online name, address, or instant messaging user name or a new social networking Internet Web site account.”

The bill defined a social networking account as “an Internet Web site that allows individuals, including juveniles, to … communicate with acquaintances and strangers,” create a public or semipublic profile, collect lists of similar users (such as Facebook friends) and view others’ connections.

“Families use social networks like Facebook and MySpace to stay in touch with each other,” Runner said. “But to those with ill intentions, social media is a lawless supermarket for them to bait innocent children.”

Runner said her bill had the support of former Facebook executive Chris Kelly, who ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in the 2010 Democratic primary.

Additional supporters include Marc Klaas, father of murdered 12-year-old Polly Klaas, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Runner said.

The Appropriations staff analysis questioned the cost and efficacy of the legislation.

“There is nothing that prevents a registered sex offender from simply changing an e-mail address,” it said. “Nor is there any reason to assume that a potential offender, intent on using an Internet site for conversing or meeting potential victims, would register the e-mail address used for this purpose. … Do local governments have the personnel and capacity to obtain, process, and potentially transmit all of this data?”

The Democratic staff analysis continued:

“Given the ease with which a person may change an e-mail address, given that many registrants have been crime-free for years, given that the crimes of many sex offenders had nothing to do with children, given California’s rare lifetime sex offender registration, and considering the oft-stated estimate that 90 percent of child abuse victims know the perpetrator, is this bill an efficient use of limited law enforcement resources?”

Said Runner: “My legislation would have made use of existing resources to deter offenders from using Internet access for predatory purposes to provide police officers one more tool in the toolbox to safeguard children. John Gardner, who was convicted last year of the rape and murder of two teenage girls, accessed his graphic social network account the day before the second murder.”

“Evidently, opponents think it costs too much to protect our children,” she said.

In 2006, Runner was in the Assembly and her husband George was in the Senate when the couple co-authored Jessica’s Law, which mandated prison sentences of 15 years to life for persons convicted of sexual acts with children under 14, and banned convicted sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park.

Runner previously authored a bill similar to SB 57 and it, too, was killed in Assembly Appropriations.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDEC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
The first Music Jam Session at The MAIN was held on Thursday, Feb. 22 and was a hit. Come out and join in for the next one on Thursday, March 28 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
March 28: The MAIN to Host Musicians’ Jam Session
Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman of the Office of Inspector General has issued a report entitled "Tenth Report Back on Implementing Body-Worn Cameras in Los Angeles County."
Office of Inspector General Issues Latest Report on LASD Body Cams
College of the Canyons women's tennis played to a convincing 7-2 conference win over Ventura College on Moica to strengthen its potential playoff resume.
Canyons Closes Out Ventura 7-2 in Final Home Match
Join the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce with the Latino Business Alliance at the Cinco de Mayo Networking Celebration on Tuesday, May 7.
May 7: Latino Business Alliance Cinco de Mayo Celebration
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is hosting March Meowness promotion where all cat adoptions are just $15 from now until April 9.
Adopt a Cat During March Meowness at Castaic Animal Center
California State University, Northridge is partnering with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and the Tataviam Land Conservancy to battle the impact of climate change in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Fernando Valley by establishing “urban forests.”
CSUN Partners with Fernandeño Tataviam Band to Build Urban Forests
Join the Santa Clarita Artists Association on Monday, April 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 23630 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, CA 91355, for the SCAA monthly meeting and guest demonstrator.
April 15: SCAA Presents Debbie Abshear Watercolor Demo
Residents are invited to join members of the Santa Clarita City Council for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the addition of Santa Clarita's 38th park, Skyline Ranch Park, 18355 Skyline Ranch Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91351, to the Santa Clarita parks system on Saturday, April 6, at 10 a.m.
April 6: Grand Opening for Santa Clarita’s 38th Park
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center is preparing for the annual fundraising event, Celebrity Waiter, with the theme “California Dreamin’” on Saturday, April 27 at Bella Vida, 27180 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91351.
Table Sponsorships Still Available for Celebrity Waiter Dinner
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Ken Striplin | A Fun, Festive, Egg-Filled Day
SCVNews.com