The California Assembly overwhelmingly approves Paparazzi bill!!!

The California Assembly overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that will impose harsh penalties on paparazzi who drive recklessly to get pictures of celebrities.

Under the legislation, photographers who break traffic laws or interfere with the operation of a celebrity’s car can receive a maximum $5,000 fine -- and one year imprisonment.

Tuesday is the 13th anniversary of the 1997 death of Princess Diana, which was widely attributed to a high speed chase between a car ferrying the princess and photographers.

The bill originated in and passed the Assembly in June, then was modified by the Senate. It passed Tuesday's Assembly reconfirmation vote 43-13.

It now heads to Gov. Schwarzenegger for a signature. Boosters of the bill speculated that the governor would sign the act into law, noting that he and his wife were themselves driven off the road by paparazzi in 1997.

Read Full Article HERE

via The Wrap

Support for amendment to California stalking law - AB 2479 Please READ an Retweet!!

Please Respect Rob and EVERY other PERSON being STALKED like this!!

In light of what happened to ROB yesterday I would urge people to send in letters of support to let them know that this kind of STALKING will NOT be Tolerated!!!

Moving for a vote before the California State Assembly is an amendment to California’s civil stalking law that will include “surveillance” as a basis to assert claims. This addition is designed to prevent constant, non-consensual, and non-privileged surveillance of a person. (Specific language has been built into the amendment excluding any official surveillance from being actionable.) The PAPARAZZI Reform Initiative, Inc. emphatically supports this amendment. It does so because this amendment will bolster protections for personal and public safety, individual privacy rights, and will reduce the risks of successful burglaries perpetrated in residential areas.

Victims of domestic violence will no longer have to cope with the intense fear of being constantly watched from nearby vantage points by their deranged assailants. Homeowners will no longer need to shudder at the prospect that their daily movements and homes are being observed by potential burglars seeking to strike at opportune times. Individuals seeking to protect their privacy will no longer be without means to establish the sanctity of their personal lives. Indeed, the “surveillance” amendment will do much to prevent many vulnerable victims from living in fear without the protection of the law.

California pioneered America’s first anti-stalking law in 1990 in response to the stalking and murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer. Now, it lags behind a growing number of states that have included “surveillance” in their stalking laws to reflect societal changes in the 21st Century. Such states include: New York; Illinois; Colorado; Hawaii; Georgia; Idaho; New Mexico; South Carolina; and, Wyoming. The District of Columbia has also joined this distinguished list. It is time for California to do the same.

Californians should strongly urge their lawmakers to support the “surveillance” amendment (Assembly Bill 2479). Doing so will encourage lawmakers to act in accordance with their function: to protect public safety and individual liberties. Inaction may result in a victory for stalkers.

Letters of support may be sent to:

The Hon. Karen Bass

Speaker Emeritus

State Capitol, Room 319

Sacramento, CA 95814

   

Source