City Council Considers New Law for Sex Offenders

• Measure Modeled After County Ordinance Provides Additional Residential Restrictions and Off-Limit Areas

BY BILL KOENEKER

New rules for registered sex offenders that are currently in place in other cities and the unincorporated areas of the county will be considered by the Malibu City Council at its meeting next week.
The county, in accordance with Jessica’s Law, the proposition approved by the voters in 2006 that imposed certain restrictions on sex offenders including allowing cities and counties to impose further residential restrictions, adopted an ordinance in January, 2009 placing additional residential restrictions on sex offenders. The cities of Palmdale, West Covina, El Monte, Long Beach and Pomona have also adopted similar ordinances, with County Supervisor Mike Antonovich requesting other cities throughout the county adopt the ordinance to ensure consistency for a countywide effort.
Councilmember Pamela Conley Ulich sought to put the matter on the council agenda.
The current law, under consideration by Malibu, prohibits a registered sex offender from renting or occupying the same single-family dwelling or unit in a multi-family dwelling where another sex offender resides.
A registered sex offender is also prohibited from renting or otherwise occupying the same guest room in a hotel with another sex offender. Also, a sex offender is prohibited from renting or occupying a guest room in a hotel as a permanent resident if there is another guest room in that hotel that is already rented by another sex offender as a permanent resident.
The law also applies to landlords in that the responsible party is prohibited from knowingly allowing units in single-family homes, multi-family dwellings or hotels from being rented or occupied by more than one registered sex offender.
The law does not apply to those persons who are legally related by blood, marriage or adoption.
The ordinance also does not include a single-family dwelling that is a residential facility such as a group home that serves six or fewer persons.
The new law would provide additional public spaces where children congregate and are off limits to registered sex offenders. In addition to public and private schools and local parks, the county’s law includes other public places such as childcare centers.
The county law establishes what it calls a child safety zone, which includes any area located within 300 feet of the nearest property line of a child care center, public or private school, park, public library, commercial establishment that provides a child’s playground either in or adjacent to the establishment, a location that holds classes or group activities for children and any school bus stop.
The county indicates there are about 1438 registered sex offenders in the unincorporated areas of the county. Approximately 397 of those registered sex offenders are on parole.