Jessica’s Law co-authors Senator George Runner and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster) today joined San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Postmus (pictured speaking) and Fourth District Supervisor Gary Ovitt, both Statewide Co-Chairs of the initiative effort, at a kick-off event for a Child Safety Task Force comprised of government leaders from throughout the county. 
The Task Force will begin planning for local implementation of the initiative should it be approved in November.
The guest of honor at the event was Mark Lunsford (pictured in baseball cap), father of nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford, for whom Jessica’s Law is named. Jessica was sexually assaulted and murdered last year by a convicted sex offender in Florida.
A key provision of Jessica’s Law would prohibit registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of places where children congregate or assemble. Specific locations identified in the initiative include schools and parks. However, at the discretion of local governments, locations such as children’s recreation centers, daycare facilities and public libraries may also be included as Predator-Free Zones. Jessica’s Law would also require electronic monitoring of sex offenders for life, eliminate "good-time" prison credits, increase penalties for possession of child pornography, and increase sentences and parole terms for sex offenders.
The purpose of San Bernardino County’s Child Safety Task Force is to help cities and the county to create a process for identifying Predator-Free Zones and to facilitate discussions of legal and policy considerations relative to establishing such zoning.
The kick-off event at Rancho Cucamonga City Hall also included participation by Regional Co-Chair State Senator Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga) and council members from several local cities. Supervisor Postmus said the Task Force will meet again during the summer to review progress made by the cities and the county.
Lunsford urged everyone to take full advantage of Jessica’s Law to protect children against sexual predators. "You’re fortunate here in California,” Lunsford said, “because you have a tool that many states don’t have: the initiative process. You can do something to protect your children."