California Senate Panel Rejects Elderly Parole Crackdown Bill

Overview

• The Senate Public Safety Committee declined to advance Sen. Roger Niello’s proposal to restrict early release under California’s elderly parole program.
• Niello said his bill aimed to keep certain offenders from qualifying for elderly parole.
• The push followed parole grants to David Funston and Gregory Vogelsang, both convicted of child sexual abuse in the 1990s, who remain in custody.
• Advocates pointed to state data showing a 1.8% reconviction rate for people released after elderly parole and no new sex offenses, citing California prison records.
• Committee chair Jesse Arreguín voiced support for exploring a separate plan to exclude sexually violent predators, and other proposals and a possible ballot measure are still being discussed.