Fact Check: California's SB-145 Eliminates an Inequality in Sex Offender Registration

Late Monday, just before the legislative session expired, Senate Bill 145 passed the California State Assembly 41-18 and the State Senate 32-10, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. But posts shared thousands of times claimed that the "pro-pedophilia" legislation had actually passed a day earlier, by a vote of 6-2, and misconstrued its contents.The misinformation is the latest in a series of attacks on the legislation and the lawmaker who introduced it – state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Fransisco – by right-wing conspiracy theorists known as QAnon.

Based on our research, viral claims about SB-145 as "pro-pedophilia" legislation are FALSE. From its passage and vote count to its contents, posts online have spread falsehoods about the legislation, which allows judges to have the same level of discretion over sex offender registration for anal and oral sex that they already do for penile-vaginal sex. It is intended to strengthen the sex offender registry and end discrimination against LGBTQ youth. USA Today, September 3rd, 2020