Today, the Senate Public Safety Committee unanimously approved the bipartisan Senate Bill 286, also known as Mary Bella’s Law, to close a dangerous loophole in California’s Elderly Parole program that allows violent sex offenders to be released early. The bill is authored by Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) and coauthored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove). Click here for the bill’s factsheet and here for a video of the press conference, and here for a video of the bill's hearing in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
“Releasing violent rapists under the so-called ‘elderly parole’ is not only an insult to victims but a grave danger to Californians,” said Leader Jones. “SB 286 finally corrects this failure and ensures that rapists and child molesters don’t have a ‘get out of jail free’ card just because they turned 50. Mary-Bella’s Law helps ensure the most violent sex offenders serve their full sentences, regardless of age, and puts the safety of Californians first.”
Before the bill hearing, Leader Jones held a press conference with San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan, Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita), Crime Victims United, and over 40 victims and victim advocates including: Colleen Stan, known as the "Girl in the Box" from the Lifetime Movie, survivor of Cameron Hooker of Red Bluff, CA; Mary Johnson, survivor of Cody Klemp of Moreno Valley, CA; Claira Stansbury speaking on behalf of her sister Bella Clark, survivor of Charles Mix of Riverside, CA; and, Johanna Call, survivor of Michael Dausey of Shasta County, CA.
The current Elderly Parole program was quietly expanded through a last-minute, gut-and-amend budget bill, Assembly Bill 3234 (Ting – 2020), which lowered the age threshold for elderly parole from 60 years of age to 50 years of age. A loophole in that bill allows violent sex offenders to be eligible for elderly parole after serving only 20 years. Despite its major societal and fiscal impacts, AB 3234 was rushed through the process without a single Senate policy committee hearing. Proponents of the measure vowed that sex offenders and rapists would not be eligible for Elderly Parole, but ‘accidentally’ left out that key protection—and have refused to fix their mistake.
Since its passage, multiple rapists and child molesters have become eligible for Elderly Parole, forcing victims and their families to relive their trauma as they fight to keep their perpetrators behind bars.
Mary Bella’s Law will finally correct this dangerous loophole, ensuring that rapists and child molesters aren’t eligible for Elderly Parole. A petition in support of SB 286 has garnered almost 700 signatures statewide.
“I’m grateful to the Senate Public Safety Committee for advancing this commonsense, bipartisan measure and putting victims first. Today’s bill passage is a win for public safety and a message to crime victims that they have not been forgotten,” concluded Leader Jones.
Below are several news articles highlighting recent violent sex offenders and murderers who are now eligible for early release under the Elderly Parole program, despite hundreds of years left on their sentences:
Parole board considering release of rapist convicted in IE, originally sentenced to 170 years | ABC7
Girl in the Box: Cameron Hooker sexually violent predator case moves forward | ABC7 KRCR
Family fights child molester’s possible release in Southern California | KTLA5
Elderly Parole Program releases sex offender, survivor expresses concerns for her safety | ABC7 KRCR
Sacramento Serial Rapist Could Be Released From Prison Decades Early | CBS News