Web Pornography, Sex Offender Bills Signed

Bills requiring schools to adopt policies for students’ Internet use and out-of-state sex offenders to register when they move to California were signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Pete Wilson.

The Internet bill by Assemblyman Bill Campbell (R-Villa Park) requires school districts that allow their students to use the Internet to establish policies that prevent children from viewing pornography or other adult material.

“The Internet is new and uncharted territory for all of us--students, parents, educators. This new law will ensure that we have some direction to guide all of us through this new world,” Campbell said.

The offender bill by Assemblyman Scott Wildman (D-Los Angeles) would require people who are under a court order from another state to register as a sex offender to register when they move to California.

“This bill takes another important step to renew California’s resolve against these crimes by making out-of-state offenders subject to the same laws as California sex offenders,” Wilson said.

He also signed a bill by Assemblyman Charles S. Poochigian (R-Fresno) that would require prison officials to notify crime victims, witnesses and victims’ next of kin when the perpetrator is being released from prison to a community within 100 miles of them. Current law limits that notification to releases within 25 miles.

The governor signed a bill by Assemblywoman Sally Havice (D-Cerritos) that would add the crimes of statutory rape and lewd and lascivious behavior to the definition of sexual assault under the current reporting law.

That statute requires health care, police and firefighters to report to child welfare officials if they suspect a child has been a victim of various kinds of child abuse.