Proposition 35 Temporarily Blocked by Judge
Proposition 35 passed on November 6 with 81 percent of the vote, but a federal judge has temporarily blocked its implementation. According to an ESR Check news report, a U.S. District Judge in San Francisco has blocked the proposition because of a civil lawsuit that has been filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and two registered offenders. If the temporary block is lifted, approximately 73,000 registered sex offenders in California will have to provide their online screen names and Internet service providers to law enforcement officers. The civil lawsuit claims that Prop 35 violates the First Amendment right to free speech.
The ACLU suggests that Proposition 35 will require sex offenders to turn in their email addresses, usernames, and every identifier they use to comment on websites online. The proposition also increases prison sentences and fines for individuals involved in sex trafficking.
