Chelsea's Law Signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger, Toughens Sentences for Calif. Child Sex Predators

SAN DIEGO (CBS/KCAL/AP) Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation to lock up some convicted sex offenders for life, and make sure that other predators are closely watched for the rest of their days.

PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

The governor signed the measure known as "Chelsea's Law" at a bittersweet ceremony Thursday for family and friends of 17-year-girl Chelsea King, who was killed after being abducted while running less than seven months ago.

"Because of Chelsea, California's children will be safer. Because of Chelsea, this never has to happen again," said Schwarzenegger, an early backer of the legislation.

Chelsea King, who was killed by convicted child molester John Gardner. He was sentenced to life in prison in May after pleading guilty to murdering Chelsea and 14-year-old Amber Dubois.

Chelsea's Law allows sentences of life without parole for adult predators who kidnap, drug, bind, torture or use a weapon while committing a sex crime against a child. Life terms could be ordered for first-time and repeat offenders.

It also increases other penalties for child molesters, including requiring lifetime parole with GPS tracking for people convicted of forcible sex crimes against children under 14. Previous law permitted lifetime GPS monitoring, but it typically ended when offenders left parole.

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, the San Diego Republican who spearheaded Chelsea's Law, said in an interview it would have resulted in a longer prison sentence, possibly life, and longer parole for Gardner in 2000 for molesting a 13-year-old neighbor.

Gardner served five years of a six-year sentence and repeatedly violated parole.

Chelsea's parents, who traveled from their new home in suburban Chicago, thanked lawmakers for speeding the bill through the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Brent and Kelly King, in an interview, said they plan to promote similar legislation in other states and have tentatively targeted Texas, Florida, Colorado and Ohio. They also plan to use their nonprofit foundation, Chelsea's Light, to promote peer counseling programs - one of their daughter's favorite causes - and to offer scholarships for college and other programs.

April 28, 2010 - Chelsea King-Amber Dubois Plea Deal for Killer John Gardner is Justice Served, Says Ex-ProsecutorApril 27, 2010 - Did John Gardner Stalk 11-Year-Old Before Raping and Murdering Chelsea King?April 19, 2010 - Chelsea King, Amber Dubois Killer John Gardner Pleads Guilty to Murdering Both Teens; Avoids Death Penalty
March 9, 2010 - Amber Dubois Update: Police Investigating Link to Sex Offender John Gardner
March 8, 2010 - Is Amber Dubois' Murder Related to Chelsea King's Murder?