Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides announced Monday he will back a November initiative to force registered sex offenders to live at least 2,000 feet from California schools and parks, matching an earlier endorsement from Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Angelides faced criticism from Republicans after he said last month he had not taken a position on the "Jessica's Law" initiative and expressed concerns that the proposal could push many sex offenders into rural areas.
The Democratic state treasurer said Monday he now endorses the initiative, Proposition 83, and outlined six additional steps he would pursue as governor, ranging from longer sentences for violent sexual assaults to a ban on offenders loitering at playgrounds or other vulnerable areas.
"What I've done the last several weeks while the governor's showboated is talk to law enforcement and victims' groups before announcing not only my support for 'Jessica's Law' but also a more comprehensive program," Angelides said. "I'm more interested in protecting our kids than in trying to get political points this election season."
The initiative's most notable component would require registered sex offenders to live beyond 2,000 feet of any school or park. Current law makes it illegal for those who sexually abuse children to live within a quarter-mile (1,320 feet) of a K-8 school while on parole, though high-risk offenders must now live a half-mile from any school.
Proposition 83 would require sex offenders to wear Global Positioning System devices for life, allow local governments to extend the ban on where offenders reside and increase various penalties for sex crimes. The Legislative Analyst's Office last year estimated that additional costs would be "in the low hundreds of millions of dollars" per year.
Schwarzenegger promoted "Jessica's Law" during his State of the State address in January and will be a signatory to the ballot argument supporting Proposition 83 in the statewide voter information guide this fall.
"We applaud Phil Angelides for finally deciding to join Gov. Schwarzenegger by endorsing Jessica's Law to protect California's children," Schwarzenegger campaign spokesman Matt David said in a statement.
During a campaign stop at a Bakersfield health center last month, Angelides said he was still working on his anti-sex offender platform and raised concerns that the "Jessica's Law" proposal would send offenders to rural areas and without increasing penalties enough, according to the Bakersfield Californian. Angelides on Monday downplayed his earlier hesitancy.
"What matters is in the end -- and I'll do it as governor -- I will always tip the scales in favor of protecting kids," Angelides said. "I've got my own three daughters, and I wouldn't want any harm to come to them."
Angelides said his six-step plan goes beyond Proposition 83. It incorporates Senate Bill 1128 by state Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-San Jose, which extends penalties for child pornography and other crimes. The bill also makes it illegal for sex offenders to be at a school or senior home, compared to the initiative's focus on residency.
Schwarzenegger supports SB 1128 and is working with Alquist on the bill, according to the governor's staff.
Angelides charged that Schwarzenegger's administration has "totally failed in protecting kids against violent sexual predators." His campaign referred to a February news story on sex offenders being relocated to motels near Disneyland as an example.
Schwarzenegger last month signed an executive order directing the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to assess risks posed by all sex offenders within 90 days of their scheduled parole dates.
Sen. George Runner and his wife, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, both Lancaster Republicans, have championed the "Jessica's Law" initiative and promoted Schwarzenegger's endorsement.
"I don't think (Angelides) can point to leadership on this issue, but we welcome all support," George Runner said.
In Sacramento County, an estimated seven of 10 sex offenders registered with the state live within 2,000 feet of a school or park, according to a 2005 analysis by The Bee.
Niki Delson, a Humboldt County licensed clinical social worker with the California Coalition on Sexual Offending, said the initiative would cause more harm than good because many registered offenders would have too few housing options.
Runner disputed criticism that sex offenders would flood rural areas. He said the initiative requires them to remain in their home counties and said a half-mile barrier already exists for violent sex offenders.
The initiative is named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl believed to have been kidnapped, molested and killed last year by a convicted sex offender.
