Sex offender bill voted down on party lines

The Republican author of a public safety measure blasted his political foes on Tuesday for voting against his bill, which would have stiffened penalties for sex offenders.

AB 2 would have sent sex offenders back to prison instead of their local county jail, by making it a felony for failing to register.

The measure failed 4-2 in the Assembly Public Safety Committee on straight party lines, with four Democrats voting it down and two Republicans supporting it.

Immediately after the vote, Assemblyman Mike Morrell, of Rancho Cucamonga, told KCRA 3: "Republicans are for protecting over our children and our families. And it's obvious by the vote today, the Democrats prefer to protect the sex offenders."

Said the Assembly's top Democrat, Speaker John Perez: "I think it's an unfortunate characterization by the author. And I think when you lose a bill, you get frustrated, as opposed to having the discussion."

Morrell said his bill was intended to address some of the problems associated with Gov. Jerry Brown's prison realignment plan, in which parole violators are not returned to prison, but rather sent to their local county jail.

Just last month, a Stockton parolee pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender, and was then released from the San Joaquin County Jail because of overcrowding……Sex offender bill voted down on party lines | News - KCRA Home