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A sentencing commission could lead to the early release of thousands of serious and repeat criminals into communities across California

6/6/2007
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Jeff Caligiuri
(916) 319-2032

Sacramento - Assemblymember Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) today voted against Assembly Bill 160, an irresponsible and likely unconstitutional measure pushed by Democrats to create a sentencing commission.

“A sentencing commission could lead to the early release of thousands of serious and repeat criminals into communities across California,” said Fuller. “Our prisons are not overcrowded because sentencing laws are too harsh. They are overcrowded because lawmakers ignored the prison crisis for too long.”

AB 160, by Assemblymember Sally Lieber (D-Mountain View), would create a new sentencing commission to change California’s tough-on-crime public safety laws, unless a majority of one house of the Legislature objects. The proposed commission would be comprised of 16 members, who would be appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee.

Republicans argued that the measure was unconstitutional because the Legislature should make decisions on changing state law; not an unelected state commission. They called it yet another effort by Democrats to weaken the state’s tough mandatory sentencing laws (such as 10-20-Life and Three Strikes), which have made a difference in reducing crime and keeping Californians safe. Since their adoption, these important public safety protections have been credited with lowering the crime rate by 40 percent and the violent crime rate by 50 percent.

“AB 160 would give an unaccountable, unelected group of commissioners the final say over changes to our tough-on-crime sentencing laws,” said Fuller. “The most important role of government is public safety, and this measure will put Californians at risk of dangerous criminals living in their neighborhoods.”

AB 160 was approved on a party-line vote during today’s Assembly session, with only Democrats voting to pass the measure. Fuller joined Assemblyman Todd Spitzer (R-Orange) and other Republicans to oppose the measure. It now goes to the State Senate for consideration.

Assemblymember Fuller represents the 32nd Assembly District, which includes Bakersfield, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, Taft, Kern River Valley and the Frazier Mountain communities.

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