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Does Assemblywoman Dawn Addis’ bill exempt pedophiles?

July 4, 2026

Assemblywoman Dawn Addis

By KAREN VELIE

Update: A statement from Assemblywoman Dawn Addis was added to the article.

Assemblywoman Dawn Addis’ bill to bar people on the sex offender registry from running for office, with an exemption for some pedophiles, moved forward this week. A similar bill that did not include protections for pedophiles failed in committee.

Current laws prohibit anyone convicted of a felony involving bribery, embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money or perjury to run for office. At the same time, rapists, child molesters and human traffickers are permitted to hold office.

In response to convicted sex offenders running for city councils and school boards, Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (D-Fresno) wrote AB 253, which sought to ban people convicted of sexual assault and sex trafficking from running for office.

On May 7, the Assembly voted 60-0 in favor of AB 2753.

Senator Scott Wiener D-San Francisco, chairman of the Senate Elections Committee, sought to amend the bill to exclude some sex offenders who had sexual contact with a willing minor.

Assemblywoman Soria rejected the changes and on Tuesday AB2753 failed in committee.

A similar bill authored by Assemblywoman Addis, AB 2961, seeks to bar registered sex offenders from running for office, primarily when the victims were adults at the time of the offense.

After the committee amended the bill to exempt some felony child sex crimes including rape and sodomy, Addis approved the changes.

““Since assuming office, I have introduced legislation to tackle child sex assault and hold perpetrators accountable—whether that has been through removing the statute of limitations, removing barriers to press criminal charges, and preventing future assault,” Addis said. “I am proud that AB 2691 will be the strongest bill in the nation to permanently ban felons who have committed child and other felony sexual assault, from running for office in California. I look forward to continuing this work and invite all who support survivors to join our efforts in making sure we get this bill to the governors desk and successfully signed.”

The committee voted on Tuesday to move forward with Addis’ amended AB 2691.

“Right now, a registered sex offender can run for school board in California,” Senator Suzette Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) posted on X. “Then Senate Democrats killed it in committee, and advanced a different bill carving out an exception for people convicted of sex crimes against children. Protecting kids should not be controversial. “

 


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12 Comments

Vile


3

Are we admitting that background checks for public office are not required? I don’t believe singling out perverts is enough, candidates need to be vetted by the public they are to represent, and a threshold should be set for eligibility, so that the public doesn’t become liable for hiring a convicted criminal. Yes, I understand repent and change but that is for the next life.


12

Maybe you want to think this through? Trump is a convicted felon. In my opinion he was unjustly convicted, and apparently a whole lot of people agree with me because he won the presidency for the third time, and not just the electoral college but with the popular vote. Instead of interfering with my right to vote for convicted felons, why not simply urge people to vote for gun owners, since felons cannot legally possess guns, generally (this may be changing for non-violent felonies)? Maybe go further and demand that they train regularly? Regardless of any past convictions, active shooters are unlikely to be a problem as 2A rights restoration in such cases involves a difficult vetting process.


-4

So she seeks to protect pedophiles who were under 18 when they offended?…. what about a 17 year old who offends a 10 year old?… Democrats holler Epstein out of one side of their mouth while they protect pedophiles in legislation… Its disgusting….


32

Remind me again who the president is again? And the acting attorney general!? Remind us all the deal Epstein received by republicans under Trump as well as moving Epsteins conspirator ( who was found guilty and given 30 years) to a facility never meant for sexual predators?


So yeah. The protection of pedophiles is disgusting.


-25

Their constituency is illegals, grifters, and criminals. Every sane individual has fled or is considering fleeing the democrat party.


19

Could we just agree that anybody convicted of a felony or sexual assault shouldn’t be allowed to run for anything?

How about a background check that ANY federal or state prospective civil servant would need to take prior to putting their name on a ballot or being appointed?


33

Totally agree! We wouldn’t hire a cop or someone who works in the courts with a felony background.

Why would we tolerate it with our elected official

representatives?


26

How about only voting for people who own guns and actively train with them, along with their kids?


1

Bet this is a carve out for some weirdos already in their ranks. So shameful! … and of course, 99% of the population has no idea this is happening.

We need the Light of Truth focused on whoever they think they need to protect.

WHY?


38

Makes about as much sense as anything coming out of Sacradimento these days. California is no longer safe for children, and every Democrat is presumptively criminal or worse:

AB 2961: (B) “Sexual assault” does not include a violation of subdivision (b) of Section 286, subdivision (b) of Section 287, or subdivision (h) or (i) of Section 289 of the Penal Code.

286 (a) Sodomy is sexual conduct consisting of contact between the penis of one person and the anus of another person. Any sexual penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete the crime of sodomy.

(b) (1) Except as provided in Section 288, any person who participates in an act of sodomy with another person who is under 18 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison, or in a county jail for not more than one year.

(2) Except as provided in Section 288, any person over 21 years of age who participates in an act of sodomy with another person who is under 16 years of age shall be guilty of a felony.

287 (a) Oral copulation is the act of copulating the mouth of one person with the sexual organ or anus of another person.

(b) (1) Except as provided in Section 288, any person who participates in an act of oral copulation with another person who is under 18 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison, or in a county jail for a period of not more than one year.

(2) Except as provided in Section 288, any person over 21 years of age who participates in an act of oral copulation with another person who is under 16 years of age is guilty of a felony.

289 (h) Except as provided in Section 288, any person who participates in an act of sexual penetration with another person who is under 18 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison or in a county jail for a period of not more than one year.

(i) Except as provided in Section 288, any person over 21 years of age who participates in an act of sexual penetration with another person who is under 16 years of age shall be guilty of a felony.


23

Instead of barring people from running, how about legislation that requires ANY convicted felon’s record to be published along with the “candidate” statements. I would equally like to know if I am voting for a pedo, embezzlers, domestic abuser, or past history of violence.

Let the voter be informed and also the ones who choose our elected officials


43