The 2026 Legislative Session begins January 13, 2026.

Interim Committee Weeks in Tallahassee are scheduled as follows:

October 6–10, 2025

October 13–18, 2025

November 3–7, 2025

November 17–21, 2025

December 1–5, 2025

December 8–12, 2025 

Delegation Meetings Public Hearings

August 11, Monday, 9am – noon Charlotte County

18500 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte 

Before Aug 5 (4pm) submit speaker form and supporting document, contact Jennifer.sweeney@flhouse.gov.

August 11, Monday, 1:30 pm Desoto County

Desoto County Commissioners Chambers, 201 E. Oak St, Arcadia  

To submit speaker form and supporting document, contact Lucas.Kara@flsenate.gov, 863-534-0073.

August 11, Monday, 4 – 5 pm Hardee County

412 West Orange Street, Ste 103, Wauchula 

Before Aug 4 (4pm) submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting Mr. Dana Orr, dana.orr@flhouse.gov, 863-304-9500.  Also, before Aug 4 (4 pm) deliver 6 copies of supporting document to Rep. Tuck, 205 S. Commerce Ave, Ste B, Sebring, FL 33870.

August 12, Tuesday, 1-5pm Polk County

Polk County Commission Building, 330 W. Church St, Bartow

Before Aug 1, contact HD050@flhouse.gov to submit speaker form and supporting document.

August 21, Thursday, 2:30 pm Franklin County

34 Forbes Street, Apalachicola  

To submit speaker form and supporting document, contact Office of Senator Corey Simon, 850-487-5003

August 27, Wednesday, 9am – 1pm Lake County

Lake County Administration Building, 315 W. Main St, Tavares  

Before August 20 (noon) submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting guy.aline@flsenate.gov  or 352-750-3133.

September 8, Monday, 10 am – noon Jefferson County

Jefferson County Courthouse Annex, 435 W. Walnut Street, Monticello 

To submit speaker form and documents, contact Mitchell.allen@flhouse.gov, 850-717-5009.

September 8, Monday, 2- 4 pm Madison County

Madison County Commission Chamber, 229 SW Pickney Street, Madison 

To submit speaker form and documents, contact Mitchell.allen@flhouse.gov, 850-717-5009.

September 9, Tuesday, 6-7:30 pm Escambia County

Molino Community Center, 6450-A Hwy 95A North, Molino

Before Sept 3, 5pm submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting Pitzer.Keri@flsenate.gov.

September 15, Monday, 9am Collier County

Commissioner’s Chambers, 3rd floor, Building F, Collier County Government Center, 3299 Tamiami Trail East, Naples 

Before Aug 18 (5 pm) submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting hayden.paul@flsenate.gov. Four copies of supporting document with 3-hole punch to be delivered to Paul Hayden, 3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 203, Naples, FL 34112.  Also email a PDF of the document to Paul.

September 16, Tuesday, 1:30 – 3:30 pm Hendry County

481 W. Hickpochee Ave, Labelle.

Before Friday, August 22, submit Speaker Request Form and supporting document (PDF) to lauren.melo@flhouse.gov.  Also, mail supporting document to Lauren Melo, 3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 212, Naples, FL 34112.

September 19, Friday, 10 am Putnam County

Putnam County Government Complex, 2509 Crill Ave, Suite 100, Palatka

For speaker form, contact curbow.danielle@flsenate.gov

September 19, Friday, 3 – 5 pm Flagler County

Flagler County Commission Chambers, 1769 Moody Blvd, Building 2, Bunnell

Email curbow.danielle@flsenate.gov to be placed on the agenda. 

September 23, Tuesday, 6 – 7:30 pm Santa Rosa County

Milton Community Center, 5629 Byrom Street, Milton

By Sept 17, 5 pm submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting Pitzer.keri@flsenate.gov or call 850-634-7553.

September 24, Wednesday, 9am Pinellas County

St. Petersburg College, Clearwater Campus Auditorium, 2465 Drew St, Clearwater. 

Before September 17 (5pm) submit speaker form at https://pinellas.gov/legislative-delegation/. Supporting document to be emailed to anna.stearns@flhouse.gov.

September 29, Monday, 2 pm Baker County

Macclenny City Hall, Council Chamber, 118 E. Macclenny Ave, Macclenny

For information or to be added to the agenda, contact lee.mary@flsenate.gov (Office of Sen Bradley)

BEING RESCHEDULED Columbia County

Florida Gateway College Library, 149 SE College Place, Lake City

For information or to be added to agenda, contact shays.tonya@flsenate.gov (Office of Sen. Bradley)

September 30, Tuesday, 10am – noon Palm Beach County

Canyon Branch County Library, 8915 Joe Abruzzo Ave, Boynton Beach

Before September 22 (4 pm), 15 copies of document and Request Form to be received at Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation, Victoria Nowlan, 301 N. Olive Ave, Suite 701.6, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.  To submit Form: https://survey.pbcgov.com/s3/Legislative-Delegation-Hearing-Presenter-Request-Form. Contact VNowlan@pbc.gov or KIngram1@pbc.gov, 561-355-2406, if needed.

September 30, Tuesday, 2 – 6pm Brevard County

Brevard County Commission Chambers, 2725 Judge Fran Jameison Way, Melbourne

By Sept 19, 5 pm submit the speaker form and supporting document by contacting gooden.william@flsenate.gov, 321-409-2025.

September 30, Tuesday, 2pm – 5 pm Clay County

Clay Administration Building, Commission Room, 477 Houston St, Green Cove Springs  

Before noon Sept 25, submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting Tammy.Still@flhouse.gov.

September 30, Tuesday, 11 am Holmes County

Homes County Board of County Commissioners Chambers, 107 East Virginia Avenue, Bonifay

Before 4 pm, Sept 25, submit Speaker Request Form and documents by emailing ann.mcgraw@flhouse.gov.

September 30, Tuesday, 12:30 pm Washington County

Washington County Board of County Commissioners, 1331 South Blvd, Chipley

Before 4 pm, Sept 25, submit Speaker Request form and documents by emailing ann.mcgraw@flhouse.gov.

September 30, Tuesday, 3 pm Jackson County

Chipola College Cultural Center, 3056 College Street, Marianna

Before 4 pm, Sept 25, submit Speaker Request form and documents by emailing ann.mcgraw@flhouse.gov.

September 30, Tuesday, 5:30 pm Calhoun County

Calhoun County School Board Meeting Room, 17586 North Main Street, Blountstown

Before 4 pm, Sept 25, submit Speaker Request form and documents by emailing ann.mcgraw@flhouse.gov.

October 1, Wednesday, 1-5pm Marion County

College of Central Florida’s Klein Center, 3001 SW College Rd, Ocala  

Before noon Sept 25, submit speaker form and supporting documents by contacting tammy.still@flhouse.gov.

October 1, Wednesday, 1 – 3 pm Nassau County

Nassau County Board of County Commissioners Chamber, James Page Government Complex, 96135 Nassau PL, Yulee

Before 4 pm, Tuesday, Sept 23, completed Speaker Request Forms and all materials/handouts must be submitted to Cam Brown via US mail at 12529 Yellow Bluff Rd, Unit 6 PMD112, Jacksonville, FL 32226.  If submitting materials/handouts via U.S. mail, individuals are asked to provide three (3) sets of three-hole punched, 8 ½ x 11 copies and use the Speaker’s Request Form as a cover sheet to be included in the Members’ meeting packets.  Questions may be directed to Cam Brown, Office of Rep. Dean Black, at (904) 717-9750 or by emailing cam.brown@flhouse.gov.

October 1, Wednesday, 9:30 – 11am Highlands County

Highlands County Government Center, 600 South Commerce Ave, Sebring

Before 4 pm, Sept. 24, speaker request form and six copies of documents (3-hole punched on left side) must be received at Mr. Dana Orr, 205 South Commerce Ave, Ste B, Sebring, FL 33870. The speaker request form may be emailed to dana.orr@flhouse.gov.

October 1, Wednesday, 1:30 – 2:30 pm Glades County

Glades County Courthouse, 500 Avenue J SW, Moore Haven

Before 4 pm, Sept. 24, speaker request form and six copies of documents (3-hole punched on left side) must be received at Mr. Dana Orr, 205 South Commerce Ave, Ste B, Sebring, FL 33870. The speaker request form may be emailed to dana.orr@flhouse.gov.

October 1, Wednesday, 4 – 5 pm Okeechobee County

Judge William L. Hendry Courtroom, Room 270, 304 NW 2nd St, Okeechobee

Before 4 pm, Sept. 24, speaker request form and six copies of documents (3-hole punched on left side) must be received at Mr. Dana Orr, 205 South Commerce Ave, Ste B, Sebring, FL 33870. The speaker request form may be emailed to dana.orr@flhouse.gov.

October 20, Monday, 9 -11 am Gilchrist County

Gilchrist County Commission Building, Gilchrist Commission Room, 209 SE 1st Street, Trenton

To request to be added to the agenda, email HD022@flhouse.gov with your name and topic.

October 20, Monday, 6:30 pm Bay County

Bay County Government Building, 840 West 11th Street, Panama City

By 4 pm, Oct 13 submit Speaker Form and documents by emailing shanta.brannon@flhouse.gov. 

October 20, Monday, 1-5pm Alachua County

Joseph W. Fordyce Building (R-01), Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd Street, Gainesville

Before noon, Oct 9 submit Speaker Form (https://forms.gle/Qw84KU45zmcLd16R7) and documents by emailing Treiber.jennifer@flsenate.gov

October 20, Monday, 10 am Taylor County

Location to be determined.

Sign up to speak onsite.  Bring two sets of documents/speeches to hand out to legislators. For more information, contact Caleb.Colton@flhouse.gov. 

October 21, Tuesday, 9am – 5 pm Orange County

Orange County Administration Building, 201 S. Rosalind Ave, Orlando  

Between Aug 18 and Oct 3, submit speaker form and supporting document to https://www.ocfl.net/OpenGovernment/LegislativeDelegation/StateLegislativeDelegation.aspx.

October 21, Tuesday, 10am – 2 pm Hillsborough County

TPepin Hospitality Center, 4121 N 50th St, Tampa

Between Sept 11 and Oct 11, submit speaker form. For speaker form go to: https://hcfl.gov/government/government-relations/state-legislative-delegation. Supporting document (15 copies) must be delivered by Oct 11, 5 pm to Delegation Chair District Office, 1101 Channelside Drive, Suite 210, Tampa, FL 33602-3613.

October 21, Tuesday, 9am – noon Martin County

Blake Library, John and Rita Armstrong Wing, 2351 SE Monterey Road, Stuart

Before noon, Oct 13, the speaker form and 3 copies of documents to be received at the following address:  Ann Bolduc, Senator Gayle Harrell, 312 SE Denver Ave, Stuart, FL 34994.  For further information, Bolduc.ann@flsenate.gov, 772-221-4019

October 21, Tuesday, 1 – 5 pm Levy County

Levy County Commission Board Auditorium, 310 School Street, Bronson

Before noon, Oct 10, email Speaker Form and documents to treibner.jennifer@flsenate.gov.  Speaker Form may be found at https://forms.gle/EQeHXwQHHnWa2CT18

October 22, Wednesday, 6:30 pm Walton County

South Walton Courthouse Annex, 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard, Ste. 700, Santa Rosa Beach

Before 4 pm, Oct 16, submit Speaker Form and documents to ann.mcgraw@flhouse.gov.

October 22, Wednesday, 9 am Indian River County

Indian River County Commission Chambers, 1801 27th St, Building A, Vero Beach

For information, contact Robert.brackett@flhouse.gov

Now October 23 (was October 30), Thursday, 9am – noon Seminole County

Seminole County Services Building, County Commission Chamber, 1101 East 1st Street, Sanford.  

Before Monday, Oct 20 (5pm) speaker form and supporting document (7 copies) must be received at Madison Wagner, District Aide (HD39), Rep. Doug Bankson, 10 N. Park Ave, Apopka, FL 32703 by contacting Madison.Wagner@flhouse.gov.  If you have already submitted a Speaker Form for the old date, please submit a new Speaker Form to confirm the new date.

October 23, Thursday, 10am – noon Palm Beach County

Wellington Community Cetner, 12150 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington  

Before October 15 (4pm), 15 copies of document and Request Form to be received at Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation, Victoria Nowlan, 301 N. Olive Ave, Suite 701.6, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.  To submit  speaker form electronically: https://survey.pbcgov.com/s3/Legislative-Delegation-Hearing-Presenter-Request-Form. Contact VNowlan@pbc.gov or KIngram1@pbc.gov, 561-355-2406, if needed.

October 23, Thursday, 10:30 am Bradford County

Bradford Courthouse, Commission Chamber, 945 N. Temple Ave, Starke

For information or to be added to the agenda, contact Jason.carter@flhouse.gov (Office of Rep. Brannan)

October 27, Monday, 5pm Broward County

Memorial Regional Hospital, Conference Center, 3501 Johnson St, Hollywood 

Before Oct 22 (5pm) submit speaker form to https://www.broward.org/Legislative/Pages/PublicHearingSchedule.aspx .  Bring 20 copies of supporting document to the meeting.

October 27, Monday, 10 am – noon Leon County

Knott Building, Room 412, 400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee. Part of the capital complex and must be accessed through the main door of the Capitol Building.

Sign up is on site and is first-come, first-serve.  Bring 4 copies of supporting materials with you to give to the legislators. Contact Caleb.Colton@flhouse.gov for further information.

October 27, Monday, 8:30am – noon Manatee County

Bradenton City Council Chamber, 101 Old Main Street W, Bradenton

Before noon, Oct 13, for information or to be added to the agenda, contact Zahid.Siddique@flhouse.gov.

October 27, Monday, 9am-1pm Osceola County

Commission Chambers, Osceola County Administration Building, 1 Courthouse Square, 4th Floor, Kissimmee. 

Between Sept 17 and Oct 17 submit speaker form and supporting document by contacting Jennifer.amparo@flhouse.gov.

October 27, Monday, 9am – noon St. John’s County

St. John’s County Auditorium, 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine

Before Oct 20, return Speaker Form and supporting documents to curbow.danielle@flsenate.gov.  To obtain the form email curbow.danielle@flsenate.gov, 386-446-7610.

October 28, Tuesday, 9am – 1pm Lee County

Florida Southwestern State College, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers

By Oct 15, 5 pm submit Speaker Form and documents to Kareli.plata@flhouse.gov.  The form and document submission link can be found at leedelegation.com.

October 29, Wednesday, 9 am St. Lucie County

Indian River State College – Massey Campus, Eastman Advance Workforce Training Complex, 3209 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce

By 4 pm, Oct 21, the Speaker Request Form and five copies of your document, must be received at the following address.  Sharon Stewart, Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Grall, 3209 Virginia Ave, Suite A149, Fort Pierce, FL 34981. For further information, email stewart.sharon@flsenate.gov.

October 29, Wednesday, 9 am – 1 pm Volusia County

DeLand City Hall Commission Chambers, 120 South Florida Ave, DeLand.

By 5 pm, Oct 10 submit Speaker Form and supporting document via email to morris.christopher@flsenate.gov. Speaker Form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVk9NnBU_cv_Ovjmke_378EMRb7sv71UnJRutna8UWq-aCsw/viewform?usp=dialog

October 31, Friday, 9am Citrus County

Commission Chambers, Citrus County Courthouse, 110 N. Apopka Ave, Inverness

Contact Dawn.Faherty@flhouse.gov to submit your speaking topic and submit documents.

November 7, Friday, 10 am Liberty County

Location to be determined.

Sign up to speak onsite.  Bring two sets of documents/speeches to hand out to legislators. For more information, contact Caleb.Colton@flhouse.gov. 

November 7, Friday, 2 pm Wakulla County

Location to be determined.

Sign up to speak onsite.  Bring two sets of documents/speeches to hand out to legislators. For more information, contact Caleb.Colton@flhouse.gov. 

November 10, Monday, 10 am Pasco County

West Campus Performing Arts Center, Pasco-Hernandez State College, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey

Before noon on Nov 3, the speaker form and 7 copies of document to be delivered to Rep. Jeff Holcomb, 2955 Landover Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34608.

November 12, Wednesday, 10am – 2 pm Duval County

Jacksonville Council Chamber, City Hall, 1st Floor, 117 W. Duval St, Jacksonville 

Before Nov 5, 5 pm, the Speaker’s Form, Materials checklist, and 10 copies (3-hole-punched) must be received at Duval County Legislative Delegation Office, 117 W. Duval Street, Suite 480, Jacksonville, FL 32202. For further information, contact Natayla Anderson at 904-255-5091, Nataylaa@coj.net.

November 13, Thursday, 9 am – noon Palm Beach County

Els Center of Excellence, 18370 Limestone Creek Rd, Jupiter

Before November 5 (4 pm) 15 copies of document and Request Form to be received at Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation, Victoria Nowlan, 301 N. Olive Ave, Suite 701.6, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.  To submit speaker form electronically: https://survey.pbcgov.com/s3/Legislative-Delegation-Hearing-Presenter-Request-Form. Contact VNowlan@pbc.gov or KIngram1@pbc.gov, 561-355-2406, if needed.

November 13, Thursday, 10 am Broward County

Broward MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization), 100 W. Cypress Creek Rd, #650, Fort Lauderdale

Before Nov 10 (5pm) submit speaker form to https://www.broward.org/Legislative/Pages/PublicHearingSchedule.aspx .  Bring 20 copies of supporting document to the meeting.

November 13, Thursday, 9am – 1pm Sarasota County

Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice

Before Oct 31, contact Andrew.parker@flhouse.gov, 941-899-0940/0935 to submit speaker form and supporting document.

November 13, Thursday, 10 am Monroe County

Via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting through the link below.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81229342524?pwd=LLCbPxpaMcqdeuGKt0fqPBbhfyaNNr.1

 View meeting insights with Zoom AI Companion

https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/edl?muid=b7b39236-b397-43e4-8ed0-d3231b241964

 Meeting ID: 812 2934 2524    Passcode: 500812

 One tap mobile: +13052241968,,81229342524#,,,,*500812# US

      +13092053325,,81229342524#,,,,*500812# US

  If you have any questions or would like to have the link emailed to you, please email: 

 Lee.young@flhouse.gov OR  pamela.conway@flhouse.gov

November 24, Monday, 10 am Dixie County

Location to be determined.

Sign up to speak onsite.  Bring two sets of documents/speeches to hand out to legislators. For more information, contact Caleb.Colton@flhouse.gov. 

November 24, Monday, 2 pm Lafayette County

Location to be determined.

Sign up to speak onsite.  Bring two sets of documents/speeches to hand out to legislators. For more information, contact Caleb.Colton@flhouse.gov. 

December 15, Monday, 10 am – 4 pm Miami Dade County

Miami Dade College – Padron Campus, Building 6 – 16th Floor, 627 SW 27th Ave, Miami

Before noon on December 10 email Speaker Form and documents to MDDHearings@miamidade.gov.  The speaker form may be found at https://www.miamidade.gov/global/government/commission/intergovernmental/legislative-delegation.page

December 15, Monday, 1 – 4 pm Hernando County

Hernando County Government Center, Commission Chamber (Room 160), 20 N. Main Street, Brooksville

Before noon on Dec. 8 deliver Speaker Form and 4 copies of document to Rep. Jeff Holcomb, 2955 Landover Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34608.

NOW December 15 (was Oct 30), Monday, 5:30 pm CT Okaloosa County

Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 Eglin Pkwy, #102, Shalimar

By 4pm, Dec 8, submit speaker form and supporting document by ian.thomson@flhouse.gov. 

Updated October 29, 2025

The post Legislative Delegation Meetings Calendar 2025/2026 appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

1. A Neurocognitive Impairment bill that would allow for dementia/brain injury that is medically documented to be considered in all aspects of the Florida criminal justice system, including probation and offender registrations, thereby preventing the inhumane treatment of our cognitively impaired and incurable population
2. Long-Term Care bill that addresses the need for long-term care facilities to care for all patients without concern for loss of business caused by the dot on the map from the sex offender registry.

There are legislators who are considering the need for bill #1, but it has been an uphill battle all the way.

Bill # 2 is the one where we now need the most help to enable people on the registry to be able to enter healthcare facilities when they need long-term healthcare.

Every time an email is received by a legislator, a ping is recorded for the topic of the email.  In the early stages of this email campaign, Tallahassee was receiving 160 pings per week under “need for people on the registry to be able to reside in these healthcare facilities.”

We now have weeks where two people are sending emails, making for 320 pings per week.  We want Tallahassee to hear us.  This email campaign will be running through February of 2026.

If you are willing to help us out by taking one week, instructions will be sent to you, along with the 160 legislators’ email addresses ready for you to copy/paste.  Talking points will be given to you in the instructions.  We will help you in any way that we can, including writing your email for you if necessary.

If you are already participating in our email campaign, you will not be able to take a second week since these emails need to come from different email addresses than those that have already been sent.  But if you know of someone with a different email address from yours, they would be eligible to participate in our second round of emails.

Please contact us at media@floridaactioncommittee.org if you can help.

The post Call to Action:  Dire Nursing Home Situation appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

There are 60 people who are participating in our Email Campaign that will carry us through February of 2026.  Progress is being made on reaching out to legislators on filing a bill that would allow courts to consider medically documented dementia in all aspects of the criminal justice system: offense/defense, probation, and registration.

People are now focusing on educating legislators about the inability for persons forced to register to be accepted into Florida long- and short-term healthcare facilities and the concurrent financial liability faced by our hospitals.

Because we have more than the necessary 52 people required to finish out our Email Campaign, we are now using two people to send out emails during some weeks.  So, rather than have 160 pings per week, there are sometimes 320 pings.

We are looking for more volunteers to help in this project so that we can continue to increase the number of pings.  Read more information here.

Update on finding sponsors for both bills:  

Ann and Sarah will be reaching out to the Florida Healthcare Association and Florida hospital organizations to determine a course of action to help registrant acceptance into long- and short-term care facilities.  With a path that is reasonable and that can be backed by these organizations, Ann will reach out to legislators to find a Senate and a House bill sponsor.

Sarah will be meeting May 22 with her state senator’s legislative aide, asking for support in sponsoring a bill to allow courts to consider dementia in all aspects of the criminal justice process.  She already has a representative and FAC-recommended attorney who have said they will help draft a bill.  The first draft will be created by FAC volunteers, including Bruce who has helped in the past draft FAC proposed bills as well as professionally drafted zoning laws for years when he was an employee for the city.  Other FAC volunteers will be included in this bill drafting that have experience with this type of document.  

Update on delegation meetings for 2026 session:

The delegation meetings will be held in Sept/Oct/Nov 2025.  We will begin coordinating with the volunteer speakers in July and will draft 3 speeches from which our volunteers can choose (or give their own speech).

Update on bills in Tallahassee:

Jerry filled us in with the following information:

Legislators are back in session, but only for the state budget and property tax relief efforts. All five bills Jerry was tracking made it to the finish line and are awaiting presentation to and signature from the governor. Interestingly, the House bills were all chosen over their poorly written Senate companion bills. Please refer to the latest bill matrix at the FAC website and all final analyses, which Jerry sent out, for how the bills will affect our current and future population.

The post Minutes for May 15, 2025 FAC Legislative Call appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

1. The weekly email campaign to all 160 legislators was organizationally established and kicked off.  Emails went out for two consecutive weeks.  The first email addressed the Senate & House bill “Registration for Sexual Predators and Sexual Offenders”.  The second email addressed allowing neurocognitive diseases to be considered throughout the criminal justice system.  Thank you to all who have volunteered to send out emails!
2. FDLE responded to the first email as sent to Rep. Trabulsy who forwarded it (through her aide Sasha O’Kane) to FDLE.  The FDLE response was an attempt to mollify legislators but achieved another communication link for us.

Presentations at this meeting and next initiatives

Legislative updates

All tracked bills that affect our people are moving through the Senate and the House.  They are expected to pass and to be sent to the Governor in May for approval.  Please see the FAC website (FloridaActionCommittee.org, under the TEAMS tab, legislative, legislative update) for the details that Jerry shared with us.  Once session is over and the governor as approved the bills, a synopsis of the final offense and registration changes will be uploaded to the FAC website.

Email campaign

Many people have signed up to send emails over the next 50 weeks to tell their stories about the elderly on the registry and lack of nursing home care OR tell their stories about dementia and the need for consideration for all offenses in the criminal justice system. More volunteers are most welcome – we have several weeks still available.  Please contact us at media@floridaactioncommittee.org to say “yes” and pick a week.   We have email template language, can help you write your story (1 short paragraph), and have the legislators email addresses.

Proposed 2026 bills 

1. There was action on the neurocognitive/dementia proposed bill.  Rep. Overdorf, who has expressed interest in sponsoring the bill, asked Rep. Baker (a prosecutor) to review what is in statute relative to this proposed bill.  Two statute sections that are related: Insanity Defense 775.027 and Involuntary Confinement 916.15.  Both of these address mental problems that are assumed to be “curable” via drugs or therapy.  Neurocognitive disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s, PTSD, traumatic brain injury) are not curable but are degenerative.  We will be seeking legal and legislative advice on a solid approach to enable success with this bill in 2026 or in following years.  
2. Following good discussion, we will be contacting the Florida Healthcare Association to work with them on best approaches for providing nursing home care to registrants.  We will also be reaching out to the larger hospital systems in Florida as they recognize this problem as a financial burden as well as a moral dilemma. 

The post Minutes of FAC Legislative Committee meeting, April 9, 2025 appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

We need approximately 50-plus people to send a short email to all 160 Florida legislators through the 2026 legislative session.  Each person would be given a specific week to send out their emails.  The idea is to have all legislators receive emails every week from now through the first week of March 2026, so the pings continue to grow in number.

The 160 email addresses have been compiled so that you can copy/paste them individually into your “To” line.  They will be sent to you later.

This campaign is to focus on two bills that will be proposed for the 2026 session:  One would include language to allow courts, probation, registration, FDLE, and others in the criminal justice system to be allowed to consider medically documented neurocognitive diseases (dementia).  The second bill would provide a process for people on the registry, who have a medically documented need for long-term nursing home/assisted living care, to be removed from the registry.  

We have two legislators who are interested in the bill allowing dementia to be considered by the courts, and we have possible sponsors for the bill on making it achievable for nursing homes to be available to all Florida citizens.  These two bills have not been written yet, but we will be working on that this summer and fall.

Our goal is to change the narrative as well as emotionally illustrate the human impact of these bills.  You would write five or six sentences briefly expressing your concerns.  Then you will pick one of the two bills to ask the legislators to support once the bill is filed. 

This project has already begun with 20 volunteers so far.  We need 32 additional volunteers.

Please respond to media@floridaactioncommittee.org if you are willing to participate in this campaign with us, and you will be contacted to find the best week that works for you.  If there is a month from now through February 2026 that you would prefer to send your emails, please let us know.  We can also assist in writing your short email if you need help.  

Suggestions for the email you will be sending to our legislators

• If you have had an experience where you or someone you know could not enter a nursing home, assisted living facility, or rehab facility, please share this in your email.  Or if you know of someone in the criminal justice system who suffered from dementia, but the courts were not allowed to consider it, please share the negative consequences that occurred.

OR

• If none of the above applies to you, you could share with the legislators that people on the sex offender registry are being denied access to these healthcare facilities.  Some talking points you could use (only choose the ones that you prefer to discuss with our legislators):

• Most people on the registry are now law-abiding citizens.

• You are only asking for the same rights that a released murderer has.

• With nursing homes, including the VA nursing homes, not allowing anyone on the registry to reside in their facility, it is inhumane to allow helpless people to live alone trying to take care of themselves.  How will they get medical help?  In many cases, they will be living in their own excrements.  This is inhumane and should not be occurring in the United States.

• Nursing homes are turning away people because of the dot on the nursing home that will show up on FDLE ‘s map.

• There are people on the registry in a vegetative state, whose offense was decades ago, but the facilities will not take them in because of the dot that will show up on the FDLE Sex Offender map.

• Florida needs to do what Georgia does:  allow people on the registry to petition for removal once they need long-term care and remove residency restrictions for them.

• Or anything else that you might prefer to say.

AFTER WRITING YOUR EMAIL, PLEASE SELECT ONE OF THE TWO BILLS BELOW THAT WE WILL BE PROPOSING NEXT SESSION AND COPY/PASTE IT UNDER YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL.  

I am requesting your support for the following proposed bill for the 2026 session:

Neurocognitive Diseases Bill that would allow for dementia to be considered in all aspects of the Florida criminal justice system, thereby preventing the inhumane treatment of our cognitively unable population.

OR

I am requesting your support for the following proposed bill for the 2026 session:

Nursing Home Care Bill that addresses the need for long-term care facilities to care for all patients without nursing home loss of business caused by the sex offender registry.

Respectfully,

Your Name

The post Keeping the momentum going—respond back soon  appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

One of the displaced gentlemen said this is another type of sentence placed on top of the prison sentence that he already has served.  He is correct.

There are no showers and a shortage of food for these people, among other inhumane issues.

According to one member of the community, law enforcement was never called to the park over any concerns.

We are receiving inquiries about this situation.  At the present time, we cannot give out any information, but I promise you this issue is not being ignored.  Every possible avenue is being explored.

SOURCE

The post Follow up on displacement of citizens in Putnam County appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Dear Advocate,

Just a friendly reminder of the upcoming all-advocates Unity Conference and Vigil in Washington, D.C. The conference is Sunday, March 2nd; the vigil is the next day, the 3rd, gathering near the steps of the Supreme Court Building and starting around 11 a.m.

The one-day conference begins at 9 a.m. EST and has a $25 fee to attend. The program will include attorney Janice Bellucci on the U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared registration is not punishment and has significantly harmed registrants and their families. Additionally, Amber Vlangas will speak about ending cycles of sexual harm; WAR will make a presentation about the registry and children; Professor Stephanie Jerstad will share the results of her research regarding registrants being denied access to elder care; the SHINE and PathFinder groups will lead a powerful presentation by women required to register. The conference will conclude with a panel of national leaders sharing progress on our common goals.

Registration, hotel information, and fee payment for the conference can be accessed here.

If you can, join your fellow advocates in a show of solidarity against the harm that the registry poses to several million people across the nation.

It is the vigil that will be livestreamed, starting at 11 a.m. EST on Monday, March 3rd. This link will take you to the livestream of the vigil: https://youtube.com/live/BcF1Mv-3mvU

The post Reminder from NARSOL about the Washington, D.C. Vigil appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The post Three Years for a Life: Does Justice Devalue Sex Offenders? appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The revision requires passport applicants to affirm that they are not required to register as a sex offender, in accordance with International Megan’s Law.  34 U.S.C. 21501 et seq. and 22 U.S.C. 212b.

The revised “Acts or Conditions” statement on the passport application form now includes a declaration for applicants to confirm they are not required to register.

But what about those who are?!?!

We are calling on members (FAC and all Reform Advocacy Groups) to provide public feedback. While certain registered persons may still be eligible for a passport, it unclear how they can, when applicants are required to attest they are not required to register. 

Comments are due by March 16, 2025.

Information on how to submit comment can be found here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/14/2025-02648/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-a-us-passport

Your comments are crucial in forcing the government to create a fair and transparent process that provides for the rights and needs of ALL applicants, including citizens forced to register.

The post Revised Passport Application Requirements Under International Megan’s Law appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

19 News Cleveland reported the story, but this is not just a story of a structural failure but a stark reminder of the systemic neglect faced by individuals on the sex offender registry. Forced into substandard housing and treated as second-class citizens, these people are caught in a cycle of stigma and limited options, where even basic human dignity is often denied.  

For many, this was not just a physical displacement but a plunge into uncertainty. Homeless shelters are not an option and organizations like the Salvation Army refuse to help them, leaving them homeless.  

Registered sex offenders often face significant barriers when seeking housing. Many landlords and property management companies outright refuse to rent to them, while others exploit their limited options by offering substandard living conditions at inflated prices. This systemic exclusion forces registrants into a precarious existence, where even the most basic needs—safety, stability, and dignity—are often out of reach.  

The stigma attached to being on the sex offender registry is a significant factor in their housing crisis. Also, many states, counties and even cities, impose strict residency restrictions that severely limit where registrants can live. 

Even when registrants find housing, it is often in dilapidated buildings, run-down trailer parks, or clustered in unsafe neighborhoods. The Parkside Apartments, for instance, was already in poor condition before the facade collapsed. Yet, for many residents, this was the only option available.  

The displacement of the Parkside residents highlights the broader challenges faced by registered sex offenders. Many are trying to rebuild their lives after serving their sentences, but the barriers to housing and employment make reintegration impossible.

This dehumanization has real consequences for all of us. Without stable housing, registrants are at risk of homelessness, which can lead to further legal troubles, substance abuse, and increased recidivism caused by a “nothing to lose” mentality.   

To break the cycle, systemic changes are needed. This includes reversing residency restrictions, which study after study have proven ineffective.

Moreover, society must confront the stigma that perpetuates this cycle. By recognizing the humanity of ALL returning citizens and addressing the insurmountable barriers they face, we can create a more just and equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to rebuild their lives and everyone is safer. 

SOURCE

The post Struggle for Dignity: How Sex Offenders Are Forced into Substandard Housing  appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).