SENATE PASSES CHELSEA’S LAW

August 24, 2010 (Sacramento)-- Assembly Bill 1844, Chelsea's Law, passed the California State Senate today by unanimous vote. The measure, carried through the Senate by Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, (R-Murrieta) was authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego). The bill aims to strengthen protections for California children from violent sexual predators.

Specifically, Chelsea's Law includes:
 

1. Life penalty without possibility of parole for the most dangerous sexual offenders
2. Longer sentences for forcible sex crimes
3. Increased parole terms for those who target children under the age of 14
4. Restrictions on sex offenders' ability to enter parks
5. A first-in-the-nation containment model and dynamic risk assessment structure
6. A requirement that Megan's Law publicly list sex offenders' risk assessment scores
7. A revision of the California mentally disordered offender laws to provide for continued detention of offenders where evaluation and assessment deem such to be necessary
 

"This is a tremendous step forward to combat violent predators, and a much needed change to California law," said Hollingsworth. "The only sadness today is the remembrance that two young women, 17- year-old Chelsea King and 14-year-old Amber Dubois, lost their lives before the legislature was prompted to pass this critically needed public safety protection."
 

The measure has enjoyed broad support, though some have voiced concerns that it could raise incarceration costs and shift burdens onto county jails to house less serious offenders, making room for violent predators to be locked up in state prisons.

Chelsea's Law now goes back to the Assembly for a final concurrence vote, likely next week. If it passes the Assembly, it then goes to Governor Schwarzenegger, who will then have 30 days to sign the bill into law.