ACLU to Oppose HB 987
We just received word that the ACLU is going to oppose HB 987
HB 987 is the bill we mentioned in yesterday’s call to action. It would require persons required to register pre-report to the Sheriff’s office in the county in which they intended to stay in a hotel/motel/vacation rental 48 hours before their stay and would require the hotel/motel/vacation rental to notify every guest that a “sex offender” was staying there. They would also have to notify every guest if a person required to register were staying within 1000 feet of the location.
Thank you, ACLU!
Continue to make calls to Representatives and urge them to Vote NO on House Bill 987.  You can find here Florida House of Representatives Complete List.
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Im calling this one “TEAMWORK”! I would like to think that all of our calls made people including the ACLU pay attention.
The passive- aggressive side of me has already considered the MANY trips I would be taking during which I would be staying next to major hotels and resorts only to realize about 12 hours before my actual departure that I would need to cancel. It really would be too bad for those places as they probably wouldn’t get the cancellation info in time to not have to notify their guests.
I wonder how this would play into the court order that specifically exempts me from public and community notification?
How is it that one has to Complie with anything, from the time, of the Judges Gavel?
The language of the bill says not only do lodging establishments have to notify guest if there is a SO staying at the establishment but also if there are any SO’s within 1000ft of the establishment.
From the text of the bill it appears that the author is seeking to keep tabs on all Registered Citizens at all times. Hotels and public lodgings must post links on their advertising banners and webpages to the FDLE SO website. It doesn’t specify which web page will display the link. They really didn’t do their planning. This will cost public lodgings money to pay for electronic website updates and coding. Not to mention putting customers in an awkward situation. I can just picture the front desk at check in: “Thank you Mrs. Richards for coming to vacation with us here in sunny South Florida. And if you see any Sexual Offenders or Predators here, feel free to report them anonymously on our easily accessible link to FDLE on our website. Enjoy your stay!”
I am still waiting with intense suspense for the day they propose implanted GPS on all Registered Citizens.
Thank you so very, very much ACLU for opposing this draconian and unconstitutional attempt at legislative over-reach. As is so often the case, these types of last-minute additions are ineptly written and those favoring them have clearly not thought through the potential consequences of the poorly-conceived legislation.
One of the consequences of this bill, if passed, is that wherever a sex offender resides within 1000 feet of a hotel (for example, if it is his permanent residence), that hotel would perpetually be required to post his sex offender flyer on its premises, which could be the death knell for that hotel. The number of hotels that would be affected just in downtown Miami and Miami Beach alone is mind-boggling. This law, as written, would require almost all hotels in those areas to permanently post multiple flyers on their premises. Just do a sex offender search in downtown Miami and South Beach and see how many registered citizens pop up (and that is not even considering transient offenders whose registered “address” is within 1000 feet of a hotel). It is inconceivable that the hotel lobby would allow this to pass. It imposes a much greater burden on them than on sex offenders.
So if I have to travel for business and stay at a hotel where a number of my professional colleagues are staying, I will be “outed” to the entire corporation. This is outrageous!
Yes
Don’t forget you will have to arrive at least 48 hours before checkin to register with the sheriff… and I guess sleep in your car until time to check in..
Once the autonomous vehicles come out, we can all move into driverless RVs and live on the highway! The other oddity is that although hotels are off limits, one can nurse a soft drink all night at 24-hour diner. Is this a better alternative? Oh, next restaurants will be off limits, then grocery stores, then…, I get it! The only place for someone whose sentence is complete to live is, jail! It does seem like a new sentence!
Good DAY, JJJJJ….This is against the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution that allows citizens to conduct commerce….this is above and beyond reproach…this is similar to the NAZIS back in the day…HITLER-Like…..Any Registrant who still has a great paying job, (few of us do-not me anymore), will get ZINGED…..I used to make over $300K a year and now make barely $50K a year….basically paid the same wage as a ‘pimply faced teenager flipping burgers’
sad sad scene….question is how do we prohibit this?..how do those with great work experience and education defend ourselves?
At least that gives notice to Florida that the bill WILL be challenged on constitutional grounds.