Originally posted 5/3/24 – Updated 7/15/24 with JSGC information. Pennsylvania HR 47 is a 2023 Resolution directing the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on voting patterns and knowledge about voting rights among formerly incarcerated qualified electors in Pennsylvania and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives. In response to this…
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The Value of Involuntary Treatment
The management of those convicted of sex-based crimes after release has been largely effectuated through the enforcement of civil (rather than criminal) laws. The use of civil regulations as management tools has the distinct benefit of permitting criminal justice officials to restrict the freedom and privacy of sex offenders without abiding by the stricter procedural requirements that would be constitutionally…
Read More#NARSOL2024 Conference Recap: PARSOL Team in Atlanta!
PARSOL board members John Dawe, Lisa Perry, David Garlock, and Lisa Kessler-Peters traveled to Atlanta on June 20-23 for the 16th Annual NARSOL Conference. The conference allowed us to spend time with our colleagues from across the country working on rational reform. Meghan Mitchell’s opening presentation on the effectiveness—or rather lack thereof—of criminal registries set the bar at excellent, a…
Read MoreBook Club: Why I Tried to Die by Lisa Kessler-Peters (August 20, 2024)
Book Club Event Details Click Here to Register Online Get the Book About Why I Tried to Die Throughout a lifetime wrought with trauma and despair, Lisa Kessler Peters personifies resilience. Yet, with the release of her memoir, Why I Tried to Die, she cements a much different legacy. One in which she uses her inspired storytelling to empower those…
Read MoreRegistration Open for PARSOL 2024 Fall Conference!
HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws is excited to announce its 2024 Fall Conference which will be held on Friday, November 15, 2024 at the Tree of Life Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. Click Here to Register for the Conference Information about: “We invite participants to join us for a dynamic one-day conference dedicated to exploring…
Read MoreAnalysis & Commentary: SCOPA Torsilieri Decision 5/31/2024
Introduction The long-awaited Commonwealth v. Torsilieri (Pa. 2024) (Torsilieri II) opinion finally dropped on May 31, 2024 – fifty-three weeks after the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA) heard oral arguments. What PARSOL hoped would be a ‘slam dunk’ win after the Chester County Court of Common Pleas decided twice in the defendant’s favor only became a huge disappointment. SCOPA, in…
Read MorePARSOL decries Supreme Court of PA decision in Torsilieri appeal
HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) decries the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s decision to reverse Chester County Judge Allison Bell Royer’s finding in the case of Comm. v. George Torsilieri that Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law Sex Offender Registration and the Notification Act (SORNA) are unconstitutional. Mr. Torsilieri and more than 23,000 Pennsylvanians will continue to…
Read MorePARSOL Lobby Day 2024 Recap
PARSOL Legislative Director Randall Hayes and Managing Director John Dawe were joined on Capitol Hill in Harrisburg, PA on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 by eight additional PARSOL volunteers from across the state. We met with dozens of Senators, Representatives, and Senate and House employees about rational reform measures to protect our communities and families from harm. Here are our current…
Read MoreBook Club: None of of This is True by Lisa Jewell (June 18, 2024)
Book Club Event Details Get the Book About None of this is True Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each…
Read MorePARSOL Artistic Expression Forum Planned for May 24
Artistic Submissions Due by May 17th Join us for an evening of artistic exploration and heartfelt expression at the PARSOL Artistic Expression Forum on May 24th at 7:00 p.m. Unlock the power of poetry, paintings, drawings, sculpting, and various art forms to convey the registry’s impact on individuals. This event is open to all, including Persons Forced to Register (PFRs),…
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