The Region : Parole Office Bill Advances

A bill by Sen. Joseph Montoya (D-Whittier) to regulate the placement of state parole offices has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and will be heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 5.

The bill, which grew out of a controversy over location of parole offices in the San Gabriel Valley, would require the state Department of Corrections to develop guidelines for choosing sites and would prohibit placement within 500 yards of a school or park. The bill would also require the state to notify local governments 120 days in advance of the lease or purchase of a site. Current law requires notification 60 days in advance.

Originally, the bill would have blocked placement of parole offices within three miles of a school or park. Montoya amended the bill after corrections officials said it would be impossible to find suitable offices that were not within three miles of a school or park.

The department has promised to close a controversial parole office in Alhambra, on the border with Monterey Park, and is seeking a site in Pasadena, but has run into strong opposition from residents.