ACLU of Santa Cruz County, CA

The ACLU-Northern California Recommends Voting NO on These 3 Propositions

NO on Prop 83:  New punishments for sex offenders || NO on Prop 85: Parental notification before teen abortion || NO on Prop 90: New restrictions on eminent domain. Details on the recommendations follows.

Proposition 83:  New punishments for sex offendersConvicted sex offenders in California are severely punished by existing law; and their lives following release from prison are severely restricted. This poorly-drafted measure would trample on the civil liberties that remain to them by placing lifetime restrictions on past offenders, regardless of whether they pose any ongoing threat. (Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage of sex offenders ever commit another sex offense). Prop. 83 would make it virtually impossible for any one-time sex offender to reside anywhere in a California city. It would divert scarce law enforcement resources from more effective protective measures, and mandate lifetime Global Positioning Satellite Monitoring at enormous expense to the public. The Legislative Analyst predicts that this provision alone would cost California $100 million per year by 2016. Protect due process and rational public policy in the monitoring of one-time sex offenders.Vote no on Proposition 83.

The full text of the initiative can be found at

http://www.caag.state.ca.us/initiatives/pdf/sa2005rf0092.pdf.

The Legislative Analyst’s report is available at

http://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2006/83_11_2006.pdf.

Proposition 85: Parental notification before teen abortion

Last November, California voters successfully defeated Prop. 73, a proposed amendment to the California Constitution that would have required doctors to notify parents 48 hours before terminating the pregnancy of an unwed minor. But now that measure is back.This November, Californians will vote on Prop. 85—a nearly identical initiative to last year’s Prop. 73. Notorious anti-choice groups that want to outlaw all abortions, such as the Traditional Values Coalition and Evangelicals for Social Action, are backing this initiative. California has reduced teen pregnancy rates by 45% over the last ten years without laws like this. Studies show that more than three out of every five teens already tell their parents before deciding whether to have an abortion, and further studies show that most who do not have a very good reason: fear for their own safety. That’s why the ACLU, the California Nurse’s Association, the California Medical Association, and the California Teacher’s Association all stand together to oppose Proposition 85.

More information and opportunities for activism are at www.NoOn85.org.

Proposition 90: New restrictions on eminent domain

Proposition 90 would restrict the government's power to take property through eminent domain (in particular, for conveyance to private developers whose projects are deemed to be in the public interest). But it would also restrict the government's power to regulate the use of property in the public interest. Current law requires compensation only when a regulation eliminates the economic value of property; accordingly, the courts often uphold ordinances aimed at zoning, historical and environmental preservation, land use protection, rent control, or the prevention of discrimination. Proposition 90 would require government compensation whenever statutes or regulations reduce the present or future value of property (including intangible property), except where such regulation relates to health or public safety. The probable (and intended) result would be to chill government efforts to regulate the use of property in the public interest, for zoning, environmental, and other reasons, for fear of costly lawsuits. Protect the ability of democratic government to regulate the use of private property in the public interest.Vote NO on Proposition 90.

More information and opportunities for activism are at www.noprop90.com.