An Assembly committee today advanced a bill known as Chelsea's Law after slain Poway teenager Chelsea King. It would toughen penalties against sexually violent criminals.
The action by the Appropriations Committee clears the way for a vote by the full Assembly sometime next week, according to Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego, who authored the legislation.
A registered sex offender, John Albert Gardner III, pleaded guilty to murdering 17-year-old Chelsea on Feb. 25 and 14-year-old Escondido High School freshman Amber Dubois on Feb. 13, 2009.
He was sentenced earlier this month to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 49 years.
AB 1844 calls for mandatory life sentences for forcible violent sex crimes against children. It would also tighten sex offense parole guidelines and require life-long tracking of certain sex offenders.
The bill previously passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee and has been endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
