Yesterday the King family and former California Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher announced a new legislative effort aimed at expanding Chelsea's Law beyond California into other states. To coordinate this new legislative undertaking, the King's created a new 501(c)4 organization called Chelsea's Shield. Over the last few months, Chelsea's Shield has worked with legislators in Illinois and Texas to introduce Chelsea's Law.
In California, the circumstances which lead to the tragic death of Chelsea King can never be repeated as a result of the approval of Assembly Bill 1844. In 2010, with the support for the King family and thousands of Changemakers, then Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher introduced legislation to create a true one strike provision for violent sex acts committed against children. AB 1844 was signed by the governor later that year and is commonly referred to as Chelsea's Law. Chelsea's Law contains other provisions designed to protect children such as increased monitoring of sex offenders and increased services for victims.
Last year, Chelsea’s Light Foundation prepared the first annual Chelsea’s Law Report, which examined the number and nature of sex crimes against children being prosecuted as a result of Chelsea’s Law in San Diego County. This year, Chelsea’s Light Foundation has expanded the scope of the Report to include prosecution statistics as a result of Chelsea’s Law in both San Diego and Orange Counties. The studies have concluded the law's initial impact as positive, with a total of 41 individuals in San Diego County charged under Chelsea’s Law between September 2010 and September 2012, and 33 individuals in Orange County charged since September 2011. "What we're seeing is that Chelsea's Law is working," said Nathan Fletcher. "Offenders are being locked away for longer periods of time or permanently under Chelsea's Law leaving our community's children safer than before the law. I am proud to be involved in this new effort to protect children in other states as well."
Illinois and Texas are just the first steps for Chelsea's Shield. "There are over 700,000 registered sex offenders in the United States today, with a shockingly large percentage of them focused on targeting children, our children, your children, children who have no voice but who look to us to keep them safe," said Brent King founder of Chelsea's Shield. "I want to protect every child in every state, I understand the enormity of what we are doing, but I also know how important it is for us to be successful."
According to Chelsea's Shield, the average jail sentence imposed in the United States on those who rape children is three to seven years. Legislation was recently introduced in Texas by Representative Dan Branch and in Illinois by Senator Michael Hastings. Hearings on these bills are expected to take place in the next few months. Chelsea's Shield is also working with legislators in Ohio and will launch efforts in others states in the near future.
Brent King and Nathan Fletcher will be available for interviews today between the hours of 1:30pm and 2:30pm at Balboa Park near the corner of 6th Avenue at Palm. Please contact Robin Liszewski at to schedule interviews. Brent King and Nathan Fletcher are also available for in studio interviews or morning shows on March 1st. Interviews will also be granted at the beginning of Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday morning.
A PDF above outlines a 12-month Chelsea's Law Report from October 2012.
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