Runner Speaks to Sex Offender Management Board About Jessica's Law

Proposition 83 author says voters' wishes should be upheld

Sen. George Runner (R-Antelope Valley) spoke at the California Sex Offender Management Board’s monthly meeting today to clarify misperceptions about some provisions of Jessica’s Law.

“There has been a constant flow of misinformation about this law,” Runner said. “I am here to tell you that out of the 33 provisions in Jessica’s Law, 30 are working seamlessly and only three are causing confusion and I hope we can clear that up.”

By a 70 percent margin, California voters passed Proposition 83-Jessica’s Law last November.

Jessica’s Law increases penalties for sex offenders and narrows the scope of the Sexually Violent Predator definition, which allows district attorneys to pursue involuntary confinement of a sex offender in state mental hospitals. The law also creates registering requirements such as prohibiting offenders to live closer than 2,000 feet from schools and wearing a GPS ankle bracelet for life.

While the punitive elements of the law have been implemented smoothly, some communities have claimed the registering provisions are impossible to meet.

“What they really mean is that it is a difficult requirement to meet, but not impossible,” Runner said. “They said the same thing about Megan’s Law, but communities managed to comply once they got past their resistance to change.”

Additionally, there has been confusion about what agency should monitor sex offenders with GPS once they are released from parole. During parole, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible. Afterward, Jessica’s Law dictates local law enforcement will take over the task. That provision has a few local law enforcement agencies concerned.

“I understand their concerns, but for the most part local communities should not have to deal with this for another few years when sex offenders are released from parole,” Runner said. “That gives them time to prepare and it gives the Legislature time to appropriate funds for local government to buy and manage GPS equipment.”

Runner also told the board that GPS is meant to be a passive tracking device that deters sex offenders from re-offending, but in the event they do commit another crime, the GPS leaves a “digital data trail” that enables law enforcement to know whether a suspect was in the vicinity of the crime, Runner added.

“GPS actually frees law enforcement from having to roust all the registered sex offenders after a crime has been committed,” Runner said. “It will actually save time and manpower in the end. It’s a smart, innovative tool that we’re going to see used more and more in law enforcement and other industries.”

Runner reminded the board that upholding the voter’s will should be a priority in implementing provisions of Jessica’s Law – and should not be treated as an option.

“Quite frankly, I am taken back when I hear this discussion about affordability,” Runner told the 15-member board. “Our role is not to question how we can afford to supervise and track sex offenders; our job is to implement what the voters have asked us to do.”