This week, Senator Suzette Valladares, alongside Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and victims' rights advocates, gathered at a press conference to rally support for SB 286, also known as Mary Bella’s Law. This vital piece of legislation aims to close a dangerous loophole in California’s Elderly Parole program, which currently allows violent sex offenders to be released prematurely. Shortly after Tuesday’s press conference, Mary Bella’s Law passed unanimously through the Senate Public Safety Committee.
“This is a fight for all victims across California,” Senator Valladares said. “We must prioritize the rights of victims over those of their attackers. Violent criminals should not be released early, period. Victims deserve more than a justice system that forgets them the moment a sentence is handed down. I commend Leader Jones for introducing this bill, the Public Safety Committee for approving it, and urge the entire Senate to support it.”
Mary Bella’s Law seeks to close a dangerous loophole in California’s Elderly Parole program, which currently permits violent sex offenders to be released after serving just 20 years. The bill is authored by Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) and co-authored by Senator Suzette Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) and Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove). Click here for a video of the press conference.
“Releasing violent rapists under the so-called ‘Elderly Parole’ program is not only an insult to victims but also a grave danger to Californians,” Leader Jones said. “SB 286 ensures that rapists and child molesters do not receive a ‘get out of jail free card’ simply because they reach the age of 50. Mary Bella’s Law ensures that the most violent sex offenders serve their full sentences, regardless of age, and puts the safety of all Californians first.”
The current Elderly Parole program was quietly expanded in 2020 through Assembly Bill 3234 (Ting), which lowered the eligibility age for elderly parole from 60 to 50. A loophole in the bill allows violent sex offenders to become eligible for early release after serving just 20 years in prison. Despite its significant societal and fiscal impact, AB 3234 was fast-tracked without any Senate policy hearings. Proponents of the measure promised that sex offenders and rapists would be excluded from elderly parole, but inadvertently left out this crucial protection—and have since refused to address the issue.
Since the bill's passage, multiple rapists and child molesters have qualified for Elderly Parole, forcing victims and their families to relive their trauma as they fight to keep their perpetrators behind bars.
Mary Bella’s Law will finally close this dangerous loophole, ensuring that rapists and child molesters are not eligible for early release under the Elderly Parole program.