8 weeks and counting till Election Day 2010! Come out and join us this Saturday for a Fletcher for Assembly precinct walk in University City!

We'll start out at 10:00 am at Standley Park and then we'll meet up again at 1:00pm for lunch.

Everyone's welcome! It'll be a fun time for the whole family.

Please contact our campaign director, Eddie, at esprecco@nathanfletcher.com if you can make it!

Good piece in today's UT on the importance of redistricting efforts to help reform a dysfunctional legislature.

Redistricting reforms must advance

BY UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL BOARD,

In 2008, California voters took a decisive step toward improving the performance of the dysfunctional state Legislature by approving Proposition 11 and taking redistricting authority for Assembly and Senate seats away from politicians and giving it to an independent commission. The district boundary lines that politicians drew after the 2000 census had produced a Legislature and a congressional delegation with virtually no swing districts.

In Sacramento , the result has been gridlock on big issue after big issue. Democratic legislators care primarily about pleasing the interest groups on their side, starting with public employee unions, whose support they need if their political careers are to advance. Republican legislators care primarily about pleasing the interest groups on their side, starting with big corporations, whose support they need for their political advancement.

This has produced a crude, reductive political landscape. Majority Democrats routinely hold hostage even modest, common-sense GOP legislation to use as leverage for bills their union backers tout. Minority Republicans routinely shun GOP colleagues who anger business interests by occasionally breaking ranks and backing tax hikes or new government regulations. Read More. 

Watch as Chelsea's Law passes from the State Legislature by a vote of 72 - 0!   With that final unanimous vote, Chelsea's Law advances to Governor Schwarzenegger.  Click here for the video. 

CHELSEA’S LAW CLEARS FINAL LEGISLATIVE STEP—NOW HEADS TO GOVERNOR

Unanimous Assembly Vote Concludes Legislative Approval Process for

Landmark Public Safety Measure

AUGUST 30 – Sacramento, CA – After six months of work, Chelsea’s Law, Assembly Bill 1844, cleared its final legislative hurdle today as it passed unanimously from the State Assembly. With the legislative process complete, the measure will be sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Governor has said he will sign the legislation, authored by AssemblymanNathan Fletcher in partnership with the family of Chelsea King, which will better protect California children from violent sexual predators.

“Today’s vote marks the end of the legislative process for Chelsea’s Law. Hundreds of meetings and thousands of volunteer hours have come together to produce a very strong piece of legislation that will better protect our children from the dangers of violent sexual predators. ” Fletcher stated. “In a Legislature that’s not always known for getting things done, it’s very encouraging to see all sides come together for the safety of our children.”

Kelly and Brent King issued the following statement: “Oh behalf of Chelsea, and the 100,000 people who have given us the inertia to complete this process, we offer a symbolic sunflower ovation to all California Assemblymembers and Senators who voted in favor ofChelsea's Law. This is a uniquely collaborative achievement, powered by people who care passionately about the children of California.”

Fletcher amended Chelsea’s Law through the course of the legislative process to increase the size and scope of its public safety reforms. He also identified savings within the Corrections system to render the legislation cost neutral. Now, in addition to the cornerstone one-strike life without parole sentencing option for the most egregious sex offenders who target children, the final version ofChelsea's Law includes a criminal containment model and dynamic criminal risk assessment tool to match paroled offenders who pose the greatest threat of recidivism with the greatest levels of supervision and surveillance from authorities.

Specifically, Chelsea's Law includes:

1. A true one strike, life penalty without the possibility of parole for the most dangerous sexual offenders
2. Increased sentences for forcible sex crimes
3. Increased parole terms for those who target children under the age of 14
4. Restrictions on sex offenders' ability to enter parks
5. A first-in-the-nation containment model and dynamic risk assessment structure
6. A requirement that Megan's Law publicly list sex offenders' risk assessment scores
7. A revision of the California mentally disordered offender laws to provide for continued detention of offenders where evaluation and assessment deem such to be necessary

Chelsea's Law passed with the support of 69 legislative coauthors that span the political spectrum. Governor ArnoldSchwarzenegger, California Attorney General Jerry Brown, United States Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, numerous leading California District Attorneys and a number of California cities and counties formally support the legislation.

Chelsea's Law was carried to this point by a network of nearly 100,000 Chelsea's Light Foundation "changemakers" from around the world, law enforcement groups, crime victim advocates and concerned citizens.

Passed with an urgency clause, Chelsea’s Law will take effect immediately after Governor Schwarzenegger signs the bill. He will do so within thirty days. A time and place for signing has yet to be determined.

# # #

Last night Nathan was awarded the Local Hero Award from the San Diego Crime Victims Fund. This organization is outstanding. For twenty-eight years they have provided critical support and services for victims of crime in the San Diego region. More than 10,000 members of our community have been the recipient of this help. Their recognition is humbling!

Both Nathan and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore received Local Hero Awards. 

Read More about the Fund here. 

 Recently, volunteers from throughout San Diego came together to stuff envelopes for an upcoming Nathan Fletcher for Assembly event:

Many hands made lighter work that day and also made quick work of the Pizza at lunch.   Over the next  65 days there will be many more opportunities to participate in re-electing Nathan Fletcher to the State Assembly.

Please visit the ACTION CENTER to find out more about the ways you can help, including walking precincts, calling your neighbors or hosting a coffee.

Nathan just spoke to firefighters from across the country about the experience he had participating in Fire Ops. The experience really struck a chord with Nathan.

CHELSEA'S LAW CLEARS 6TH HURDLE:

California Senate Passes Chelsea's Law!

The California State Senate just voted unanimously to support Chelsea's Law.  Now we are one step away from sending Governor Schwarzenegger a true one strike, life without parole sentence for violent sex offenders who target children.  Later this week, the strengthened version of Chelsea's Law that passed the Senate will go before the Assembly for one final concurrence vote. 

In the Senate, we expanded the scope of Chelsea's Law so it now includes:

1. A true life penalty without the possibility of parole for the most dangerous sexual offenders
2. Increased sentences for forcible sex crimes
3. Increased parole terms (in some cases lifetime parole) for those who target children under the age of 14
4. Restrictions on sex offenders' ability to enter parks where children congregate
5. A first-in-the-nation containment model and dynamic risk assessment structure including polygraph testing for sex offenders on parole
6. A requirement that Megan's Law publicly list sex offenders' risk assessment scores
7. A revision of the California mentally disordered offender laws to provide for continued detention of offenders where evaluation and assessment deem such to be necessary 

Thank you for being with us every step of the way and for your continued commitment to protecting our children.  Your calls, letters, volunteer hours and petitions have made all the difference.

I've never been prouder of a team than this one that came together to pass one of the most comprehensive public safety measures in California's history. 

We'll keep you posted on our progress.

Nathan

SENATE APPROVAL BRINGS CHELSEA’S LAW WITHIN ONE STEP OF GOVERNOR’S DESK

Chelsea’s Law Heads Back to the State Assembly for a Final Concurrence Vote

AUGUST 24 – Sacramento, CA – Chelsea’s Law, Assembly Bill 1844, passed through the California State Senate today by a unanimous vote.  The measure, authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher in partnership with the family of Chelsea King, will better protect California children from violent sexual predators. 

“Going through the Senate we’ve made Chelsea’s Law better—stronger and more comprehensive,” Fletcher stated.  “The heartbreaking loss of Chelsea earlier this year revealed a broken public safety system, and it called our entire community and our entire state to action.  With the King family’s unwavering dedication and with the good-faith of many who contributed to shaping this measure, we’ve built a solution that will protect children and spare other families from tragedy.”   

Kelly and Brent King, Chelsea’s parents, offered the following comments after the vote: “The collective hard work by Assemblyman Fletcher, his bi-partisan legislative partners and impassioned Californians is culminating in a historical outcome with tangible benefit to our state’s children.  Chelsea’s larger-than-life legacy is helping to fulfill her and our dreams for positive change.”

In the Senate, Fletcher amended Chelsea’s Law to increase the size and substance of its public safety reforms and identified changes within the corrections system to make it revenue neutral.  In addition to the cornerstone one-strike life without parole sentencing option for the most egregious sex offenders who target children, Chelsea's Law includes a criminal containment model structure and dynamic criminal risk assessment tool to match higher risk paroled offenders with higher surveillance from authorities. 

Specifically, Chelsea's Law includes: 

1. A true life penalty without the possibility of parole for the most dangerous sexual offenders
2. Increased sentences for forcible sex crimes
3. Increased parole terms for those who target children under the age of 14
4. Restrictions on sex offenders' ability to enter parks
5. A first-in-the-nation containment model and dynamic risk assessment structure
6. A requirement that Megan's Law publicly list sex offenders' risk assessment scores
7. A revision of the California mentally disordered offender laws to provide for continued detention of offenders where evaluation and assessment deem such to be necessary 

Chelsea's Law has the support of 68 legislative coauthors that span the political spectrum. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Attorney General Jerry Brown, United States Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, numerous leading California District Attorneys and a number of California cities and counties have all declared their support for the legislation.

Chelsea's Law is additionally being driven by a network of nearly 100,000 Chelsea's Light Foundation "changemakers" from around the world, law enforcement groups, crime victim advocates and concerned citizens.

From the Senate, Chelsea’s Law will proceed to the California State Assembly for a final concurrence vote which will be conducted in the next week.  If it passes the Assembly Floor, it will proceed to Governor Schwarzenegger for final approval.  The Governor will have thirty days to sign Chelsea’s Law.   

# # #

This is the final week of the 2010 regular legislative session at the State Capitol. That means there's going to be plenty of action on remaining bills between now and Friday night. In this Capitol Update, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher discusses where Chelsea's Law, The California Veterans Homes Fund and the California Adoption Month Resolution fall in this process. Nathan also talks about the opportunity he had to suit up with the San Diego City Fire Department to go through firefighter training.  Watch it here!