Legislature - PARSOL - Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws

NEWS RELEASE: PARSOL Responds to May 23, 2023 SCOPA Hearing in Comm. v. Torsilieri

May 23, 2023May 23, 2023

Media Relations Contact: John Dawe, PARSOL Communication Director – media@parsol.org HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) strongly urges the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to uphold 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 Notification Act (SORNA) is unconstitutional. Royer…

TAKE ACTION: Help Block Residency Restriction Bills (2023)

March 16, 2023

Pennsylvania State Representatives have introduced House Bills 47 and 77. These bills target persons forced to register under PA’s Megan’s Law. If passed, an individual forced to register as a “sexually violent predator” who resides within 2,500 feet of a public school, private school, parochial school, or day-care center would have six months after the law’s effective date to relocate…

PA’s Task Force on Child Pornography Report Confirms our Beliefs

February 9, 2023February 12, 2023

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 53 of 2021 on June 30, 2021. Act 53 did two things: It enhanced the sentencing penalty on child pornography; and It established the Task Force on Child Pornography (TFCP). The Task Force’s Recommendations The TFCP was comprised of legislators, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim advocates, and psychologists. Together, they examined the sentencing of…

PARSOL’s Response to Hampton Township Petition; SVP Concerns

December 9, 2022December 9, 2022

[Harrisburg, PA] The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) believes all sexual abuse is unacceptable and that prevention, treatment, and healing are possible. We take a person-first approach to criminal justice reform that cultivates a fair and just society, honors an individual’s inherent dignity, and promotes respect and fairness. As such, we are compelled to weigh in on…

A History of PA’s Registry, Part III

November 12, 2022November 12, 2022

Those who wish to understand how Pennsylvania’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA, Or Megan’s Law) operates today may be dismayed to learn that there are two sets of laws dictating the “who, what, when, where, and hows” of the registry. Misinformation from law enforcement around this confusing scheme is common. Because persons forced to register (PFRs) can be…

2022 Sentencing Commission Public Comment

October 25, 2022October 25, 2022

On Thursday, September 29, 2022, the newly re-constituted United States Sentencing Commission issued tentative policy priorities for the 2022-2023 amendment year—with top focus on implementation of the First Step Act of 2018. A brief public comment period followed during which the following comments were submitted by “John F.” as reported by NARSOL. They are posted here for your information. The…

PARSOL Team Educates Legislators Including New ALI Model

September 22, 2022September 22, 2022

The Legislative Committee of PARSOL is based in Harrisburg but is active across the entire Commonwealth. It is dedicated to forming relationships with our elected officials and tracking bills that affect sexual offense policy. PARSOL’s sexual offense policy interests include: Proactive measures such as education and identifying effective interventions aimed at preventing abuse. Criminal Justice Reform (CJR) efforts that might…

The Costs of Maintaining PA’s Sex Offender Registry

April 1, 2021September 11, 2022

It may be impossible to tally the true costs of PA’s sex offender registry. Please see our letter to the Legislature about the monetary and personpower costs associated with compliance with federal standards for sex offender notification and registration. PDF of our outreach to Members. The letter is formatted for the general public to utilize. If you have concerns about…

A good idea gone bad: How the PA Senate sabotaged the sexual abuse prevention plan

October 17, 2020September 8, 2022

By Randall Hayes In September 2019, the increasingly prevalent and in-demand problem of online images of child sexual abuse (CSA) or “child pornography” rocked the Senate of Pennsylvania in a big way. The influential Chairman of the State Government Committee, Senator Mike Folmer, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography after uploading an image of an underage female…

Letter to your legislator template

June 22, 2020February 5, 2021

The recent decision by the PA Supreme Court that sent a Constitutional challenge to public sex offender registries back to square one is a setback for those who know that sex offense registries are ineffective. Reactive measures like the registry divert resources away from policy which has the potential to prevent sexual crimes. While we will likely not see the…