California is a State that seems to be knocking it out of the park.

Perhaps it’s the fact that the head of their RSOL chapter is an attorney? Maybe it’s because Californians are more “on board” with the fight and Floridians are too laid back? Maybe the air is better?

Whatever the reason; California, the state with (formerly) laws as draconian as Florida and the highest number of sex offenders in the nation, is also generally on the cutting edge of reform.

The big news out of California last year was the repeal of residency/proximity ordinances in dozens of municipalities. It started with some local lawsuits, which had a domino effect and set the tone for similar successful lawsuits in other cities. Some even voluntarily repealed their ordinances preemptively to avoid an inevitable loss in court. Those who dug their heels in and fought to the higher courts lost.

Unfortunately, the legislature came back and tried to pass a bill that would circumvent the court’s decision and allow municipalities to enact ordinances. Basically, the court declared it unlawful, so the legislature tried to pass a law to make it legal.

Good news though, Just after being unanimously passed by committee, the bill was withdrawn. Nobody knows for certain why, but certainly the hundreds (if not thousands) of letters, calls and visits to legislators by California RSOL members had a strong influence.

Below is yesterday’s “Janice’s Journal” (Post from CA RSOL President, Janice Bellucci), which discusses the victory. We’re sharing it here in the hope that it will motivate Florida Registrants and their families to stand up and become involved.

Janice’s Journal: Assembly Member Brough Withdraws AB 201

It was a long drive home yesterday after the Assembly Local Government Committee passed AB 201 by a vote of 5 to 0. A six hour drive is a six hour drive, but yesterday it seemed to take at least 12 hours.

The questions kept running through my head. What did we do wrong? What could we have said that we did not say during the committee hearing? Did we say something we should not have said?

The answer to those questions came quickly today. We did nothing wrong during the Committee hearing. And we must have done something very right before, during or after that hearing because the author of the bill, Assembly Member Bill Brough, withdrew the bill today!

Perhaps what made the difference was 162 letters sent by a single family in Los Angeles. Perhaps it was a $5 donation sent by a homeless registrant. Perhaps it was a chance hallway meeting between two California RSOL “lobbyists” and the bill’s author.

The reason is not as important as the result…..AB 201 is dead and gone. One head of a two-headed dragon has vanished.

The remaining head of the dragon is SB 267 which will be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee on May 12. If that committee approves the bill, it will move to the floor for a final vote in the Senate. If the committee opposes the bill, the second head of the dragon will also vanish.

It’s up to YOU. YOU can stop SB 267 by sending more letters, making more phone calls, as well as writing more E-mails. And by YOU we mean all registered citizens, family members and friends.

It’s time to pull out all the stops. It’s time to show, stand up and speak up!

Write Letters

Here is a Draft Letter (plain text) to the Senate Public Safety Committee as a start. Feel free to customize and personalize (be sure and edit your information, the date and the addressee at the top).

Below is a list of its members including mailing addresses and phone numbers.

Make Phone Calls

Making your opinion known is Sacramento is easy via telephone. Call the office of the Senator or Assembly Member and a receptionist will answer the phone. Give that person the following information. It usually only takes 1 or 2 minutes.

the bill #
your position on the bill
your name
your city