Bill Text: CA AB757 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Sex offenders: public information.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-01 - Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB757 Detail]
Download: California-2011-AB757-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 757 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Blumenfield
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act to amend Section 290.46 of the Penal Code, relating to sex
offenders.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 757, as introduced, Blumenfield. Sex offenders: public
information.
Existing law provides that with respect to a person who has been
convicted of specified sex crimes, the Department of Justice shall
make available to the public via the department's Internet Web site
certain identifying and criminal history information. Existing law
provides a statutory scheme for persons who have been convicted of
the commission or attempted commission of specified crimes,
including, among others, sexual battery and misdemeanor molesting of
a child, and who meet specified conditions to file an application
with the department for exclusion from the Internet Web site, as
specified.
This bill would provide that with respect to those persons whose
application for exclusion was granted by the department pursuant to
the provisions specified above, if at any time after exclusion, any
law enforcement agency notifies the department that, based on facts
known to the agency about the offender, the agency believes that
public safety may be compromised by the continued exclusion of the
offender from public posting on the Internet Web site, the department
shall, 30 days after notifying the offender, make information about
the offender available to the public on the Internet Web site, as
specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 290.46 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
290.46. (a) (1) On or before the dates specified in this section,
the Department of Justice shall make available information
concerning persons who are required to register pursuant to Section
290 to the public via an Internet Web site as specified in this
section. The department shall update the Internet Web site on an
ongoing basis. All information identifying the victim by name, birth
date, address, or relationship to the registrant shall be excluded
from the Internet Web site. The name or address of the person's
employer and the listed person's criminal history other than the
specific crimes for which the person is required to register shall
not be included on the Internet Web site. The Internet Web site shall
be translated into languages other than English as determined by the
department.
(2) (A) On or before July 1, 2010, the Department of Justice shall
make available to the public, via an Internet Web site as specified
in this section, as to any person described in subdivision (b), (c),
or (d), the following information:
(i) The year of conviction of his or her most recent offense
requiring registration pursuant to Section 290.
(ii) The year he or she was released from incarceration for that
offense.
(iii) Whether he or she was subsequently incarcerated for any
other felony, if that fact is reported to the department. If the
department has no information about a subsequent incarceration for
any felony, that fact shall be noted on the Internet Web site.
However, no year of conviction shall be made available to the
public unless the department also is able to make available the
corresponding year of release of incarceration for that offense, and
the required notation regarding any subsequent felony.
(B) (i) Any state facility that releases from incarceration a
person who was incarcerated because of a crime for which he or she is
required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290
shall, within 30 days of release, provide the year of release for his
or her most recent offense requiring registration to the Department
of Justice in a manner and format approved by the department.
(ii) Any state facility that releases a person who is required to
register pursuant to Section 290 from incarceration whose
incarceration was for a felony committed subsequently to the offense
for which he or she is required to register shall, within 30 days of
release, advise the Department of Justice of that fact.
(iii) Any state facility that, prior to January 1, 2007, released
from incarceration a person who was incarcerated because of a crime
for which he or she is required to register as a sex offender
pursuant to Section 290 shall provide the year of release for his or
her most recent offense requiring registration to the Department of
Justice in a manner and format approved by the department. The
information provided by the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation shall be limited to information that is currently
maintained in an electronic format.
(iv) Any state facility that, prior to January 1, 2007, released a
person who is required to register pursuant to Section 290 from
incarceration whose incarceration was for a felony committed
subsequently to the offense for which he or she is required to
register shall advise the Department of Justice of that fact in a
manner and format approved by the department. The information
provided by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall be
limited to information that is currently maintained in an electronic
format.
(3) The State Department of Mental Health shall provide to the
Department of Justice Sex Offender Tracking Program the names of all
persons committed to its custody pursuant to Article 4 (commencing
with Section 6600) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 6 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code, within 30 days of commitment, and
shall provide the names of all of those persons released from its
custody within five working days of release.
(b) (1) On or before July 1, 2005, with respect to a person who
has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of
any of the offenses listed in, or who is described in, paragraph (2),
the Department of Justice shall make available to the public via the
Internet Web site his or her name and known aliases, a photograph, a
physical description, including gender and race, date of birth,
criminal history, prior adjudication as a sexually violent predator,
the address at which the person resides, and any other information
that the Department of Justice deems relevant, but not the
information excluded pursuant to subdivision (a). On or before
January 1, 2013, the department shall make available to the public
via the Internet Web site his or her static SARATSO score and
information on an elevated risk level based on the SARATSO future
violence tool.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses and
offenders:
(A) Section 187 committed in the perpetration, or an attempt to
perpetrate, rape or any act punishable under Section 286, 288, 288a,
or 289.
(B) Section 207 committed with intent to violate Section 261, 286,
288, 288a, or 289.
(C) Section 209 committed with intent to violate Section 261, 286,
288, 288a, or 289.
(D) Paragraph (2) or (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 261.
(E) Section 264.1.
(F) Section 269.
(G) Subdivision (c) or (d) of Section 286.
(H) Subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 288, provided that the
offense is a felony.
(I) Subdivision (c) or (d) of Section 288a.
(J) Section 288.3, provided that the offense is a felony.
(K) Section 288.4, provided that the offense is a felony.
(L) Section 288.5.
(M) Subdivision (a) or (j) of Section 289.
(N) Section 288.7.
(O) Any person who has ever been adjudicated a sexually violent
predator, as defined in Section 6600 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code.
(P) A felony violation of Section 311.1.
(Q) A felony violation of subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section
311.2.
(R) A felony violation of Section 311.3.
(S) A felony violation of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section
311.4.
(T) Section 311.10.
(U) A felony violation of Section 311.11.
(c) (1) On or before July 1, 2005, with respect to a person who
has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of
any of the offenses listed in paragraph (2), the Department of
Justice shall make available to the public via the Internet Web site
his or her name and known aliases, a photograph, a physical
description, including gender and race, date of birth, criminal
history, the community of residence and ZIP Code in which the person
resides or the county in which the person is registered as a
transient, and any other information that the Department of Justice
deems relevant, but not the information excluded pursuant to
subdivision (a). On or before July 1, 2006, the Department of Justice
shall determine whether any person convicted of an offense listed in
paragraph (2) also has one or more prior or subsequent convictions
of an offense listed in subdivision (c) of Section 290, and, for
those persons, the Department of Justice shall make available to the
public via the Internet Web site the address at which the person
resides. However, the address at which the person resides shall not
be disclosed until a determination is made that the person is, by
virtue of his or her additional prior or subsequent conviction of an
offense listed in subdivision (c) of Section 290, subject to this
subdivision.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses:
(A) Section 220, except assault to commit mayhem.
(B) Paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 261.
(C) Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), or subdivision (f), (g), or
(i), of Section 286.
(D) Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), or subdivision (f), (g), or
(i), of Section 288a.
(E) Subdivision (b), (d), (e), or (i) of Section 289.
(d) (1) On or before July 1, 2005, with respect to a person who
has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of
any of the offenses listed in, or who is described in, this
subdivision, the Department of Justice shall make available to the
public via the Internet Web site his or her name and known aliases, a
photograph, a physical description, including gender and race, date
of birth, criminal history, the community of residence and ZIP Code
in which the person resides or the county in which the person is
registered as a transient, and any other information that the
Department of Justice deems relevant, but not the information
excluded pursuant to subdivision (a) or the address at which the
person resides.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses and
offenders:
(A) Subdivision (a) of Section 243.4, provided that the offense is
a felony.
(B) Section 266, provided that the offense is a felony.
(C) Section 266c, provided that the offense is a felony.
(D) Section 266j.
(E) Section 267.
(F) Subdivision (c) of Section 288, provided that the offense is a
misdemeanor.
(G) Section 288.3, provided that the offense is a misdemeanor.
(H) Section 288.4, provided that the offense is a misdemeanor.
(I) Section 626.81.
(J) Section 647.6.
(K) Section 653c.
(L) Any person required to register pursuant to Section 290 based
upon an out-of-state conviction, unless that person is excluded from
the Internet Web site pursuant to subdivision (e). However, if the
Department of Justice has determined that the out-of-state crime, if
committed or attempted in this state, would have been punishable in
this state as a crime described in subdivision (c) of Section 290,
the person shall be placed on the Internet Web site as provided in
subdivision (b) or (c), as applicable to the crime.
(e) (1) If a person has been convicted of the commission or the
attempted commission of any of the offenses listed in this
subdivision, and he or she has been convicted of no other offense
listed in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) other than those listed in
this subdivision, that person may file an application with the
Department of Justice, on a form approved by the department, for
exclusion from the Internet Web site. If the department determines
that the person meets the requirements of this subdivision, the
department shall grant the exclusion and no information concerning
the person shall be made available via the Internet Web site
described in this section. He or she bears the burden of proving the
facts that make him or her eligible for exclusion from the Internet
Web site. However, a person who has filed for or been granted an
exclusion from the Internet Web site is not relieved of his or her
duty to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 nor from
any otherwise applicable provision of law.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses:
(A) A felony violation of subdivision (a) of Section 243.4.
(B) Section 647.6, if the offense is a misdemeanor.
(C) A felony violation of Section 311.1, subdivision (b), (c), or
(d) of Section 311.2, or Section 311.3, 311.4, 311.10, or 311.11 if
the person submits to the department a certified copy of a probation
report filed in court that clearly states that all victims involved
in the commission of the offense were at least 16 years of age or
older at the time of the commission of the offense.
(D) (i) An offense for which the offender successfully completed
probation, provided that the offender submits to the department a
certified copy of a probation report, presentencing report, report
prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, or other official court document
that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the victim's parent,
stepparent, sibling, or grandparent and that the crime did not
involve either oral copulation or penetration of the vagina or rectum
of either the victim or the offender by the penis of the other or by
any foreign object.
(ii) An offense for which the offender is on probation at the time
of his or her application, provided that the offender submits to the
department a certified copy of a probation report, presentencing
report, report prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, or other official
court document that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the
victim's parent, stepparent, sibling, or grandparent and that the
crime did not involve either oral copulation or penetration of the
vagina or rectum of either the victim or the offender by the penis of
the other or by any foreign object.
(iii) If, subsequent to his or her application, the offender
commits a violation of probation resulting in his or her
incarceration in county jail or state prison, his or her exclusion,
or application for exclusion, from the Internet Web site shall be
terminated.
(iv) For the purposes of this subparagraph, "successfully
completed probation" means that during the period of probation the
offender neither received additional county jail or state prison time
for a violation of probation nor was convicted of another offense
resulting in a sentence to county jail or state prison.
(3) If the department determines that a person who was granted an
exclusion under a former version of this subdivision would not
qualify for an exclusion under the current version of this
subdivision, the department shall rescind the exclusion, make a
reasonable effort to provide notification to the person that the
exclusion has been rescinded, and, no sooner than 30 days after
notification is attempted, make information about the offender
available to the public on the Internet Web site as provided in this
section.
(4) Effective January 1, 2012, no person shall be excluded
pursuant to this subdivision unless the offender has submitted to the
department documentation sufficient for the department to determine
that he or she has a SARATSO risk level of low or moderate-low.
(5) If at any time after exclusion, any law enforcement agency
notifies the department that, based on facts known to the agency
about the offender, the agency believes that public safety may be
compromised by the continued exclusion of the offender from public
posting on the Internet Web site, the department shall, 30 days after
notifying the offender, make information about the offender
available to the public on the Internet Web site as provided in this
section.
(f) The Department of Justice shall make a reasonable effort to
provide notification to persons who have been convicted of the
commission or attempted commission of an offense specified in
subdivision (b), (c), or (d), that on or before July 1, 2005, the
department is required to make information about specified sex
offenders available to the public via an Internet Web site as
specified in this section. The Department of Justice shall also make
a reasonable effort to provide notice that some offenders are
eligible to apply for exclusion from the Internet Web site.
(g) (1) A designated law enforcement entity, as defined in
subdivision (f) of Section 290.45, may make available information
concerning persons who are required to register pursuant to Section
290 to the public via an Internet Web site as specified in paragraph
(2).
(2) The law enforcement entity may make available by way of an
Internet Web site the information described in subdivision (c) if it
determines that the public disclosure of the information about a
specific offender by way of the entity's Internet Web site is
necessary to ensure the public safety based upon information
available to the entity concerning that specific offender.
(3) The information that may be provided pursuant to this
subdivision may include the information specified in subdivision (b)
of Section 290.45. However, that offender's address may not be
disclosed unless he or she is a person whose address is on the
Department of Justice's Internet Web site pursuant to subdivision (b)
or (c).
(h) For purposes of this section, "offense" includes the statutory
predecessors of that offense, or any offense committed in another
jurisdiction that, if committed or attempted to be committed in this
state, would have been punishable in this state as an offense listed
in subdivision (c) of Section 290.
(i) Notwithstanding Section 6254.5 of the Government Code,
disclosure of information pursuant to this section is not a waiver of
exemptions under Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Title
1 of Division 7 of the Government Code and does not affect other
statutory restrictions on disclosure in other situations.
(j) (1) Any person who uses information disclosed pursuant to this
section to commit a misdemeanor shall be subject to, in addition to
any other penalty or fine imposed, a fine of not less than ten
thousand dollars ($10,000) and not more than fifty thousand dollars
($50,000).
(2) Any person who uses information disclosed pursuant to this
section to commit a felony shall be punished, in addition and
consecutive to any other punishment, by a five-year term of
imprisonment in the state prison.
(k) Any person who is required to register pursuant to Section 290
who enters an Internet Web site established pursuant to this section
shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars
($1,000), imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed
six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(l) (1) A person is authorized to use information disclosed
pursuant to this section only to protect a person at risk.
(2) Except as authorized under paragraph (1) or any other
provision of law, use of any information that is disclosed pursuant
to this section for purposes relating to any of the following is
prohibited:
(A) Health insurance.
(B) Insurance.
(C) Loans.
(D) Credit.
(E) Employment.
(F) Education, scholarships, or fellowships.
(G) Housing or accommodations.
(H) Benefits, privileges, or services provided by any business
establishment.
(3) This section shall not affect authorized access to, or use of,
information pursuant to, among other provisions, Sections 11105 and
11105.3, Section 8808 of the Family Code, Sections 777.5 and 14409.2
of the Financial Code, Sections 1522.01 and 1596.871 of the Health
and Safety Code, and Section 432.7 of the Labor Code.
(4) (A) Any use of information disclosed pursuant to this section
for purposes other than those provided by paragraph (1) or in
violation of paragraph (2) shall make the user liable for the actual
damages, and any amount that may be determined by a jury or a court
sitting without a jury, not exceeding three times the amount of
actual damage, and not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250),
and attorney's fees, exemplary damages, or a civil penalty not
exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(B) Whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that any person
or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practice of misuse of
the information available via an Internet Web site established
pursuant to this section in violation of paragraph (2), the Attorney
General, any district attorney, or city attorney, or any person
aggrieved by the misuse is authorized to bring a civil action in the
appropriate court requesting preventive relief, including an
application for a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining
order, or other order against the person or group of persons
responsible for the pattern or practice of misuse. The foregoing
remedies shall be independent of any other remedies or procedures
that may be available to an aggrieved party under other provisions of
law, including Part 2 (commencing with Section 43) of Division 1 of
the Civil Code.
(m) The public notification provisions of this section are
applicable to every person described in this section, without regard
to when his or her crimes were committed or his or her duty to
register pursuant to Section 290 arose, and to every offense
described in this section, regardless of when it was committed.
(n) A designated law enforcement entity and its employees shall be
immune from liability for good faith conduct under this section.
(o) The Attorney General, in collaboration with local law
enforcement and others knowledgeable about sex offenders, shall
develop strategies to assist members of the public in understanding
and using publicly available information about registered sex
offenders to further public safety. These strategies may include, but
are not limited to, a hotline for community inquiries, neighborhood
and business guidelines for how to respond to information posted on
this Internet Web site, and any other resource that promotes public
education about these offenders.
