Hollywood Sex Offenders Ban Met With Opposition by Offenders' Rights Group

By Sami K. Martin, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A group representing the rights of sexual offenders is leading the charge against a proposed law to specifically protect child actors from sexual offenders. The group claims that the law "is just too broad."

"There are individuals on the registry whose offense occurred more than 50 years ago and there are many people whose offenses had nothing to do with children," Janice Bellucci, president of the group California Reform Sex Offenders Laws told the Huffington Post. "It's just too broad."

The proposed law would require that anyone with unsupervised access to minors be fingerprinted and undergo a background check. It would also prohibit sex offenders from representing child actors.

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"If this bill can help save one child from the pain and consequences of being made a victim, then it is worth every effort," Assemblywoman Nora Campos told the L.A. Times. She is the lead author of the bill.

While Bellucci presses the issue of human rights for sex offenders, there are many more who believe the law would prevent further abuses. "Background checks are almost universal with anyone who works with children, from camp counselors to teachers to nurses," explained Scott Berkowitz, president of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). "It's a surprise that the bill is even needed."

On May 30, the bill passed the California Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. It now moves to the Senate before the vote to determine whether it becomes an official law.

"The vote demonstrates that the protection of children is a non-partisan issue," Assemblywoman Campos said in a statement. "The purpose of this bill is simply to ensure that any person who works directly with a child performer is not a registered sex offender or any threat to the safety and welfare of a minor."