Right to Rest SB 608 - What's your opinion?

There is new legislation that has recently been introduced to the CA State Senate that will drastically effect the way law enforcement can handle homeless individuals and loitering in public places. Please take the time to look at this, speak to your neighbors and friends, think about how this may alter what, if anything, our law enforcement representatives can do about areas like Jan Park. I strongly encourage everyone to think about this bill and act, whatever side of the conversation you fall on. Contact our local state representative, Jim Nielsen and let him know your thoughts as citizens within his district. You can find his website at http://nielsen.cssrc.us/ his Capitol office information is:

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4062
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4004
Fax: (916) 651-4904

If this legislation sounds familiar, it's because we saw this introduced in the House as AB-5 a few years ago. http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml

Read up on this new proposed legislation, and share your thoughts with your representatives, the Carmichael Recreation and Park District, the local sheriff's department at the community meeting coming up, and with your neighborhood watch groups.Government is for the governed!


http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/3/2/homeless-bill-rights.html

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/03/02/18769367.php

Press Release-Passage of Proposition 47-Sacramento County Sheriff's Dept.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department

15 hrs · 

PRESS RELEASE: THE PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION 47

Effective immediately, the passage of Proposition 47 will have the following effects on the custody and policing practices of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department:

1. In most instances, many crimes that were previously “arrestable” as a felony will now only be “citable” as a misdemeanor. That means they may not be booked into jail but rather given a citation (similar to a traffic ticket) with a court date to appear, and released in the field. They will not be held pending trial. Such felony crimes that are now misdemeanors include:
• Commercial burglary (theft under $950)
• Forgery and bad checks (under $950 value)
• Theft of most firearms
• Theft of a vehicle (under $950 value)
• Possession of stolen property (under $950 value)
• Possession of heroin, cocaine, illegal prescriptions, concentrated cannabis, and methamphetamine

2. Inmates awaiting trial on any of the above felony charges in most instances will be able to have their charges immediately reduced to the new misdemeanor level, and will be let out of jail on a citation. A determination as to each person’s eligibility is somewhat time consuming, but could result in up to 420 releases.

3. Inmates who are sentenced on the above felonies can petition the court for reduction of their felony convictions to misdemeanors and many of them would be also be eligible for immediate release.

4. Convicted felons with the above felonies in their history can petition the court to have their prior felony convictions reduced to misdemeanors. If successful, many of the prohibitions they faced would then be reinstated, such as the right to vote, the right to purchase a handgun, the ability to apply as a peace officer, etc.

Stalking Victim needs our support

Greetings friends,

We just want to let people know that there is a gentleman who has been harassing and stalking, off and on for years, a neighbor of ours, and she needs out help. Please keep on the look out for a white male in his late forties, six feet tall, lean build, with short dark hair. He drives a 1998 white Honda Civic, and may be lurking near Jan Drive and Valor Way. If you see this individual, please contact the authorities, let them know you are aware that this person has been reported for unwanted attention and stalking of a female neighbor, and that you have been asked to report his location.

Stalking is a dangerous and extremely scary crime that no one should take lightly. We really appreciate your help in communicating to the Sheriff's Department if you see this individual in the area, and wish comfort and safety to the victim. I'm also attaching the penal code information about stalking here and information about stalking and restraining orders if you think you might be in need of help. Look to the information below to recognize abuse and harassment that you may be facing, and follow the links to get help.

CA Penal Code-Stalking

California Courts-Restraining Order

The following information can be found at  http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-abuse.htm

Abuse & Harassment

Please note that websites you visit may be viewed by someone else later.
Always clear your browsing history after searching the web. Consider using
a public or friend’s computer if you are concerned about someone viewing
your browsing history.

Inform yourself about cases where there is abuse, harassment or violence. It is important to know what type of case you are dealing with, so start with theBasics section. Once you know what kind of case you want information about, click on that topic for much more information, instructions and resources for help.

Basics
Find basic information about abuse and harassment cases, how to protect yourself from abuse or harassment, and how to get help .

Domestic Violence
Learn how to create a safety plan, ask for a restraining order to protect yourself, and understand how domestic violence can affect your children and your custody and visitation rights. Find help on how to answer a restraining order request.

Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse
Find information about elder abuse and abuse against dependent adults. Learn how to can create a safety plan to make sure you are safe and how to ask for a restraining order to protect yourself. Also learn how to answer a restraining order request.

Civil Harassment
Find help to create a safety plan to make sure you are safe from civil harassment, ask for a restraining order to protect yourself, as well as learn how to answer a restraining order request.

Workplace ViolenceLearn about workplace violence and understand how to ask for a restraining order to protect an employee. Find out how you answer a restraining order request.

RELATED IN

Pay attention to your mail-Carmichael Recreations and Park District Funding Measure

Good morning all,

By now you may have received a ballot from the Carmichael Recreation and Park District about a new funding measure that they would like homeowners in this area to vote on. Take a look at a few links to find out more about the ballot measure, and please do take the time to vote and let your voice be heard, whether you agree or disagree with the measure's request.

What is it? http://carmichaelpark.com/new-funding-measure/

FAQ about the measure: http://carmichaelpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf

Poster with more info: http://carmichaelpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/To-Improve-Maintain-and-Secure-Our-Parks1.pdf

Followup on Homeless Bill of Rights: on hold till Jan 2014

The Homeless Bill of Rights we spoke about in a Lincoln-Barrett Neighborhood and Park Watch recent blog post has passed the Assembly's Judiciary Committee, but has been put on hold till next year by the Appropriations Committee.

 This bill would allow for:

"The bill would bar discriminating against homeless people while they seek or maintain tax-funded benefits. It would also assert a right to be in public places, safeguard personal property, guarantee use of public facilities, protect confidentiality of medical records and provide legal representation in low-level criminal proceedings, not just those that rise to the level of misdemeanors."

For more information  See : http://sfpublicpress.org/news/2013-05/state-homeless-bill-of-rights-put-on-hold-until-next-year#sthash.8zIXcMnQ.dpuf

There was also a recent article in the Sac Bee blog: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/05/ammianos-homeless-rights-bill-fails-in-assembly-committee.html

If you have opinions about this bill coming back up next year, please consider contacting our local state representatives, Ken Cooley in the Assembly and Jim Nielsen in the Senate.

Important Proposed Legislation You Need To Know About!

Greetings Neighbors!

Please take a moment to look at this proposed state legislation and contact our local state representative regarding AB 5 if you have concerns about what this proposed legislation would allow.

State Assembly (District 8)

Assembly Member Ken Cooley-DEM

Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0008
Tel: (916) 319-2008
Fax: (916) 319-2108

District Office:
2729 Prospect Park Drive
Suite 130
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Tel: (916) 464-1910
Fax: (916) 464-1915

State Senate (District 4)

Senator Jim Nielsen-REP

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4062

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 651-4004

Fax: (916) 445-7750

Proposed Homeless Bill of Rights AB 5:
Tom Ammiano D-San Francisco has proposed AB 5 which would enact the Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights and Fairness Act, which places housing status on equal footing with gender, religion and color when it comes to prohibited discrimination.
The bill helps protect homeless people from discrimination in employment, voting, and when seeking housing or public services. The bill would protect homeless people’s rights to exist in public space and to engage in life-sustaining activities like sleeping, eating, sharing food, and access to safe bathrooms and clean water, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bill would also grant the homeless the right to sleep in legally parked cars, to possess personal property on public lands, and to receive public assistance funds and legal counsel when cited, even for infractions. The bill would also ban officials from forcing homeless people into shelters or social service programs against their will.
Ammiano s that homelessness causes Californians to be denied access to housing, employment and clean restrooms, Ammiano also asserts that homeless are unfairly targeted by Law Enforcement.
Should the bill pass; the local ordinance against vagrancy, and the ordinances that close water ways and parks at night, public buildings and transit stations, could be voided.
“In Los Angeles County, The Department of Public Social Services indicates that any impact for the demand of additional public social services under AB 5 is unknown at this time. According to DPSS, in Los Angeles County, the number of homeless CalWORKs families has risen during the last six years to a historic high of 12,861 families. In addition, over 50% of individuals on General Relief are homeless”.
“AB 5 is opposed by Sacramento County and the editorial boards of the: Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle and the Fresno Bee”.
AB 5 has been referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. A hearing date has not been scheduled.


http://file.lacounty.gov/bc/q1_2013/cms1_190023.pdf
BILL NUMBER : A.B. No. 5
AUTHOR : Ammiano
TOPIC : Homelessness.
TYPE OF BILL : Active
Non-Urgency
Non-Appropriations
Majority Vote Required
State-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
BILL HISTORY 2013 Jan. 24 Referred to Com. on JUD. 2012 Dec. 4 From printer.