San Diego City Wire

The Senate Appropriations Committee has unanimously passed Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones’s (R-San Diego) bipartisan Senate Bill 1074, also known as the “Sexually Violent Predator Accountability, Fairness, and Enforcement Act” (SAFE Act). The SAFE Act is designed to protect communities from sexually violent predators (SVPs), who are individuals convicted of at least one sexually violent offense and diagnosed with a mental disorder that predisposes them to be a danger to others.

“The SAFE Act is designed to protect our neighborhoods and families from dangerous sexually violent predators, perpetrators of some of the most horrendous and violent sex crimes,” said Leader Jones. He further expressed gratitude towards the Senate Appropriations Committee for understanding the need to safeguard communities while also curbing wasteful spending by Liberty Healthcare, the state contractor responsible for managing the release of SVPs.

The bill aims to prevent the administration from placing SVPs into family-friendly neighborhoods without considering public safety. Specifically, SB 1074 would prioritize public safety in any potential placement of an SVP and require the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) to approve any placements before Liberty Healthcare can sign leases for placement locations.

A recent report indicates that housing a single SVP costs taxpayers over $456,000 annually. The SAFE Act was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 7-0 vote with amendments for "technical and clarifying changes to codify DSH's existing practices." It will now proceed to the Senate Floor for consideration by all members.

The co-authors of the SAFE Act include Senators Marie Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson), Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach), Roger W. Niello (R-Fair Oaks), Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta), and Assemblymembers Juan Alanis (R-Modesto), Megan Dahle (R-Bieber), Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin), and Marie Waldron (R-Valley Center).

This is the third bipartisan SVP bill that Leader Jones has authored in the last three years. It is similar to his previous bills, SB 832 and SB 841. Hundreds of Californians have signed a petition in support of SB 1074.

For several years, Leader Jones has been active in combating SVP placements in San Diego County. Last year, he secured an audit of Liberty Healthcare, with results expected to be released in Fall 2024.