A bill aimed at reducing the risk from paroled convicted sex offenders, introduced by State Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, unanimously passed the California Senate Thursday.

Senate Bill 1199 would require a family or community connection before a sex offender can be paroled into a community, unless that placement would violate any other law or pose a risk to the victims, according to the text of the bill.

“We cannot let the few remaining rural and affordable areas of California become the state’s dumping ground for California’s sex offenders,” said Wilk. “It is dangerous for the communities and puts a strain on the availability of the services and supervision needed for the parolee to successfully rehabilitate.”

Wilk noted lower-income communities such as the Victor and Antelope Valleys, are becoming “collateral damage” when convicted sex offenders are released from prison to spending time on parole.

SB 1199 would expand current protections against the ‘dumping’ of sexually violent predators into random communities to include taking family and community ties into consideration when determining where inmates convicted of registerable sex offenses are placed.

This would apply except in cases where such placement would violate any other law or pose a risk to the victim, according to the author.

“Our communities will be safest if sex offenders never commit another crime. That being the goal, the offenders’ support systems should also be considered when determining placement,” said Wilk.

Senate Bill 1199 will now be sent to the Assembly where it will be considered in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

“The Assembly will now have an opportunity to weigh-in on ensuring the placement and rehabilitation of these sexual predators does not take place solely in California’s more affordable and remote communities.”

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