By Bob Egelko
A federal judge on Wednesday blocked enforcement of a provision of California’s newly approved sex-trafficking law that requires 73,000 registered sex offenders to reveal their Internet identities to police.
A day after voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 35, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson of San Francisco said civil liberties groups had raised “serious questions” about whether the online disclosure requirement violates freedom of speech.
Quoting Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office as saying the state would not be able to enforce the disclosure requirement until March, Henderson issued a temporary restraining order that prohibits enforcement at least until Nov. 20, when he will consider a request for a longer-lasting injunction.