SACRAMENTO – On the first day of the 2017-2018 legislative session, Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) today introduced important legislation to protect school children from dangerous sex offenders. Specifically, SB 26 would prohibit registered sex offenders from entering school campuses in California.
Under current law, school administrators are allowed to grant registered sex offenders access to a school campus as long as the parents and staff receive a two week notice. Registered sex offenders may also volunteer at schools as long as they are not acting in a supervisory role or in constant interaction with children as part of their volunteering. SB 26 eliminates the ability of school administrators to grant permission for sex offenders to enter school campuses.
“The purpose of SB 26 is clear: To keep registered sex offenders away from classrooms, playgrounds and other locations on school campuses where our children go to learn, play and grow up in a safe environment,” Senator Leyva said. “SB 26 will help to clear up ambiguity in the law so that parents, teachers, administrators and local communities know that we will always stand on the side of protecting kids. It is vital that we tighten existing loopholes through which registered sex offenders could gain access to schools in California. Though it is important that we have strong volunteer programs at our schools, it is even more critical that we prevent potentially dangerous situations that could threaten the safety of vulnerable school children. I am proud to stand with concerned parents and community leaders in Fontana and across California to ensure that registered sex offenders do not roam school classrooms, halls and playgrounds.”
Since 1947, sex offenders have been required to register with local law enforcement. Legislation passed in 2004 requires the California Department of Justice to make specified information about certain sex offenders available to the public online and to update that information on an ongoing basis. In 2006, voters passed Proposition 83 to prohibit a person who is required to register as a sex offender from living in specified places, including within 2,000 feet of a school or park where children regularly gather.
Concerns over registered sex offenders coming onto school campuses to prey on children continue to surface in communities across California. Within Senator Leyva’s district, parents of students at Fontana Unified School District successfully advocated in September 2016 to have the school board ban registered sex offenders from district schools. After the school board listened to the outpouring of parental concerns and approved this ban with a 5-0 vote, the district was sued for its policy. This claim has yet to be resolved and, in order to proactively clarify future concerns, Senator Leyva’s bill seeks to ensure statewide uniformity on this important children school safety bill.
Assemblymember Eloise Reyes (D-San Bernardino) has signed on as principal coauthor and Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose) is a coauthor of SB 26.
As SB 26 was introduced today, the Senate Rules Committee will soon assign the bill to the appropriate Senate policy committee(s) for consideration.
12 comments
Keep sex offenders in prison for LIFE.
I believe you’re living in the wrong country, Nick.
Keep sex offenders who are a threat in prison for LIFE.
There I fixed it for you with some sensibility. 😀 I agree we should be harsh to sex offenders, but surely you agree that teenagers and drunk streakers should not go to prison for LIFE?
I agree with all of the commenters (so far) who have ably pointed out the absurdity of these pandering to hatred/hysteria bills. My only quibble would be in framing them as “feel good” laws. I think the underlying motivation is more along the lines of “feeling powerful” or “feeling vindictive” or “feeling hysterical” or “feeling fascist.” I also question the sincerity of those same people in their stated desire to ensure the safety of children. I think their motives are a good deal less high-minded and a good deal more depraved and sadistic.
Karl Hanson, one of the leading researchers on sexual offend has show that only about 2 to three out of a hundred former offenders will commit a new sex crime after 10 years of being offense free. That is about the same rate for someone in the general public committing an offense of a sexual nature, and that itself is a broad pallet of offenses, very very few being the guy in the van snatching kids off the playground. The California Dept. Of Corrections has the rate of reoffense for parolees after three years at about a half percent. Monitor all people and learn the signs of abuse or neglect, but don’t deny the parent invlovement necessary for the well being of those children whose parents made a bad choice in the past and wish to do better.
Keep in mind a lot of sex offenders are never caught. I’ve read more than once the average sex offender commits more than 80 sex offenses before he is caught. With the exception of an 18 year old with a 17 year old (which is hardly ever prosecuted) all sex offenders are a threat. Pedophiles will continue to reoffend.
Hey Nick,
#1 “Sex Offense” does not mean “pedophile”. And teenagers who are post pubescent do not make the older person a pedophile. No one gave you permission to change the definition.
#2 While you’re brain is being washed clean by your local politicians about “sex offenders” not being allowed to go into schools, right under your nose there’s some teacher with NO CRIMINAL RECORD AT ALL getting it on with a student. That right there blows yours and this idiot senator’s ‘heroism’ out of the water.
#3 18-17 is not a crime. Stop watching Law & Order: SVU. The legal age of consent in 27 states is 16. Once the teenager is 16 he/she can have a relationship with an older person (just not a teacher or other in position of power of that 16 yr old). Learn the law before you flap your jaw.
If the person is BELOW the legal age of consent, be it 16, 17 or 18 depending on the state they are in, then they can not be with anyone more than 2-3 yrs older. That’s how it works, Nick. And no other way but that.
With the world wide web of information at our fingertips, people STILL choose to make shit up in their own minds based on scripted TV shows. Unreal.
Hey Nick,
#1 “Sex Offense” does not mean “pedophile”. And teenagers who are post pubescent do not make the older person a pedophile. No one gave you permission to change the definition.
#2 While you’re brain is being washed clean by your local politicians about “sex offenders” not being allowed to go into schools, right under your nose there’s some teacher with NO CRIMINAL RECORD AT ALL getting it on with a student. That right there blows yours and this idiot senator’s ‘heroism’ out of the water.
#3 18-17 is not a crime. Stop watching Law & Order: SVU. The legal age of consent in 27 states is 16. Once the teenager is 16 he/she can have a relationship with an older person (just not a teacher or other in position of power of that 16 yr old). Learn the law before you flap your jaw.
If the person is BELOW the legal age of consent, be it 16, 17 or 18 depending on the state they are in, then they can not be with anyone more than 2-3 yrs older. That’s how it works, Nick. And no other way but that.
With the world wide web of information at our fingertips, people STILL choose to make sh!t up in their own minds based on scripted TV shows. Unreal.
Hey Nick,
#1 “Sex Offense” does not mean “pedophile”. And teenagers who are post pubescent do not make the older person a pedophile. No one gave you permission to change the definition.
#2 While you’re brain is being washed clean by your local politicians about “sex offenders” not being allowed to go into schools, right under your nose there’s some teacher with NO CRIMINAL RECORD AT ALL getting it on with a student. That right there blows yours and this idiot senator’s ‘heroism’ out of the water.
#3 18-17 is not a crime. Stop watching Law & Order: SVU. The legal age of consent in 27 states is 16. Once the teenager is 16 he/she can have a relationship with an older person (just not a teacher or other in position of power of that 16 yr old). Learn the law before you flap your jaw.
If the person is BELOW the legal age of consent, be it 16, 17 or 18 depending on the state they are in, then they can not be with anyone more than 2-3 yrs older. That’s how it works, Nick. And no other way but that.
With the world wide web of information at our fingertips, people STILL choose to make shit up in their own minds based on scripted TV shows. Unreal.
I want sex offenders in prison for LIFE. I’m entitled to my opinion whether you like it or not. Why you would post the same BS three times is beyond me. Are you a pedophile?
Nick, sounds like you wish for nazi germany. A Pedophile is a disorder: someone who is attracted to someone 13 years or younger. so Nick, do you wish to throw away anyone who has this disorder even if they go through life never acting upon their fantasy. A person who does commit this crime against children would be considered a child molester. pedophile does not equal a child molester. yes, you can have your opinion (btw Nick if you have had serious issues happened to you as a child there is therapy for you).
Dude, I’m a Dad. Yes, all I care about is the kids. All good parents feel like this. I hope you don’t children. **** pedophiles, child molesters and all sex offenders. They made their bed, they’re lying in it.
Also, if they have a desire and they haven’t acted upon it, they’re not molesters or sex offenders. They haven’t offended or molested. Don’t be stupid.
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