Who?
Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego)
San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan
Crime Victims United
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
Johanna Call, survivor of Michael Dausey of Shasta County, CA
Over 50 victims and victim advocates
What?
Jones and others will urge the Legislature to support the bipartisan Senate Bill 286, “Mary-Bella’s Law,” named after two victim survivors, Mary Johnson and Bella Clark, who will both be at the press conference advocating for the bill.
Specifically, the bill will close a dangerous loophole in California’s Elderly Parole program that allows violent sex offenders and murderers to be released early. The bill will be heard in the Senate Public Safety Committee immediately following the press conference. Click here for the bill’s factsheet.
Additionally, Fight for Victims, an advocacy group supporting the legislation, will have a booth with resources for survivors.
Where?
California State Capitol, West Steps
Click here for a map of the specific location (West Side on the map).
A live stream of the event will be available here.
When?
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 9 am.
The event takes place during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 6-12) and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, making it especially fitting as SB 286 champions the rights of victims and survivors.
Why?
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; however, that provision was never included in the enacted law. SB 286 will finally correct this dangerous loophole, ensuring that rapists, child molesters, and murderers serve their full terms—no matter their age.
Since its passage, multiple 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, child molesters, and murderers serve their full terms—no matter their age. A petition in support of SB 286 has garnered almost 1,300 signatures statewide.
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