CA Governor Schwarzenegger:
Lifetime Tracking for Sex Offenders

TOM CHORNEAU / AP / Jerusalem Post 17aug2005

Sacramento, CA (AP) — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed sweeping penalties for sex offenders, including a requirement that paroled molesters wear satellite tracking devices for life.

The governor said Tuesday he wants to prohibit registered sex offenders from living near parks and schools. He also seeks to increase penalties for possession of child pornography, date rapists and using the Internet to lure minors for sex acts.

Lawmakers in Florida recently adopted a similar lifetime monitoring requirement for sex offenders.

Schwarzenegger's proposal faces an uncertain fate in the near term. The Legislature's annual session ends early next month, giving lawmakers little time to consider such a hefty bill, said Assemblyman Mark Leno, who chairs the public safety committee.

The Democrat also said placing all registered sex offenders under satellite surveillance for life would be enormously expensive. Leno estimated the governor's proposal could cost as much as $500 million a year, a figure he said included the satellite surveillance, additional jail time for some offenders and longer parole terms.

Schwarzenegger said he did not know the potential cost of imposing lifelong monitoring of sex offenders but said it would be worth the expense.

source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1124245476967 17aug2005

Mindfully.org note: On the surface this appears to be pretty straight forward and a bit humorous, at least until ones mind is engaged. OK, so the guy is a bit odd and likes to have his naked picture taken and publicized. Everybody has a right to appear naked. No problemo the Governator might say. But he was on steroids and young boys might be attracted to his hulk of a figure. Doesn't that promote some odd sexual desires — perhaps just the kind that he'd condemn thousands for? And weren't there several accusations of sexual harassment perpetrated by Schwarzenegger? With the backing of his own millions of dollars plus the millions of his wife's family, who knows what behind-the-scenes hanky-panky took place before the charges were forgotten about in the media. But even more serious is the prospect of Big Brother taking yet more control of our lives. This is all so revolting. On one hand he promotes an odd combination of explicit sex and wild violence on the screen and TV. And on the other hand, he'd punish those who would be affected by it. He wants his beefcake and to eat it too.

Arnold Gets Tough on Sex Offenders

AP 17aug2005

SACRAMENTO—Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed sweeping penalties for sex offenders Tuesday, including a requirement that paroled molesters wear satellite tracking devices for life.

The governor wants to prohibit registered sex offenders from living near parks and schools. He also seeks to increase penalties for possession of child pornography, date rapists and using the Internet to lure minors for sex acts.

“I’m sponsoring this legislation to give California the strictest laws and toughest penalties for the worst crimes,” the governor said at a news conference in his office. “We want to give greater protection for all Californians — especially our children — against sexual offenders.”

If enacted, the legislation would give California some of the toughest laws in the nation for released sex offenders, its supporters said. Lawmakers in Florida recently adopted a similar lifetime monitoring requirement.

Schwarzenegger’s proposal could face resistance in the Democratically controlled Legislature. Democrats in the state Senate rejected a bill in June by Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, that would have required lifetime electronic tracking of convicted pedophiles.

The Legislature’s annual session ends early next month, giving lawmakers little time to consider such a hefty bill, said Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who chairs the public safety committee.

“I don’t know how we digest a 52-page bill and give it the appropriate attention when we have as many things going on as we do,” he said.

Leno said he had not had a chance to read the legislation but said placing all registered sex offenders under satellite surveillance for life would be enormously expensive. He estimated the cost could reach $500,000 million a year depending on the size of the group covered.

He also was concerned with placing limits on where registered sex offenders can live. Leno said he knew of someone who violated sex laws more than 30 years ago but who was never again in legal trouble. Nevertheless, that person could lose his apartment under the proposed ban on living near schools and parks, Leno said.

“Is this good public policy?” he said. “I think not.”

Schwarzenegger said he did not know the potential cost of imposing lifelong monitoring of sex offenders but said it would be worth the expense.

He was joined at the event by key GOP lawmakers, chiefs of police and district attorneys from throughout the state. Schwarzenegger sidestepped a question about why no Democrats were at the event but said he hoped there would be bipartisan support for the measures and quick passage before the session ends next month.

The legislation, formally titled the Sexual Predator Punishment and Control Act, would be amended into existing bills and is sponsored by state Sen. George Runner, R-Antelope Valley, and his wife, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, also a Republican. George Runner said there are less than 100,000 parolees who would be required to wear a global positioning device for the rest of their lives.

He said Democrats already have seen almost all the ideas included in the new legislation as separate bills that have been introduced previously. All of those have been rejected either this year or last, he said.

Supporters of Schwarzenegger’s proposals decided to put all the changes into one bill and give the Legislature another chance. The issue will go to the ballot if they are unsuccessful this year, he said.

“We think the people of California deserve this,” George Runner said. “Our thought was to give the Democrats one more shot and, if not, we’ve got it as an initiative.”

He said the proposed ballot measure already is pending before the attorney general and most likely would be planned for the November 2006 ballot.

The Sexual Predator Punishment and Control Act is amended into Senate Bill 588 and Assembly Bill 231.