CALL TO ACTION #4 for HB 1085 – Moved to new committee: Infrastructure Strategies Committee
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Major Concerns About This Bill:
- The bill states that all driver’s licenses and identification cards for people on the registry “shall have printed in the color red all information otherwise required to be printed on the front of the license or identification card.”
- This bill has now passed two committees and is in the Infrastructure Strategies Committee.
- Even though the court decisions for the Louisiana and Alabama cases have been sent to the analysts, it appears that the legislators are not allowing the analysts to include this information in their analyses.
PLEASE Do the Following:
- Call all members of the Infrastructure Strategies Committee.
- Whether you talk to a person or voicemail, you must give your name and contact information (phone numbers work). Remember that all voicemails are checked, so you can call after hours.
- State that you OPPOSE the part of the bill that would require the red lettering on driver’s licenses for people on the registry.
- Mention that you are a constituent if you happen to live in the representative’s district.
- Give two brief reasons why you oppose the red lettering on the licenses.
- Ask family members and friends to also call to oppose the red lettering.
Talking Points:
- The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Louisiana’s appeal of a decision against its 2006 law requiring that people on the sex offense registry have their driver’s license or identification card marked with “SEX OFFENDER” in orange letters. The Louisiana Supreme Court said the marking was compelled speech and could not be justified by the state’s interest in protecting public safety.
- In 2019, a federal judge struck down Alabama’s sex offense registration law that required registrants to carry a driver’s license or official ID with “CRIMINAL SEX OFFENDER” emblazoned in red.
- If this bill is passed as is, will Florida also be facing a costly lawsuit?
- Schools are using visitor management systems, such as Raptor, to compare a visitor’s driver’s license against a sex offense database.
- Senator Pizzo brought up in the Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee that theme parks and other places already scan the barcode on the licenses which picks up whether or not the license holder is on the registry. His implication was that this procedure makes the red markings unnecessary.
- There are currently 52 registry requirements for people on the sex offense registry. Every Florida legislator should have received a copy of the timeline of these registry requirements that started off with 3 in 1997 and have grown to 52 by 2020. Failure to fulfill any of these requirements could lead up to 5 years of imprisonment, even for the thousands of Florida registrants who are now law-abiding citizens.
- While there is no research showing a need for the red lettering on licenses, there is an abundance of research showing that the sexual recidivism rate for people with a past sex offense is lower than that for all other crimes, with the exception of murder.
- Research has shown that at 90% or more of FUTURE sex crimes will be committed by people NOT on the registry.
We strongly suggest you DO NOT THREATEN LAWSUITS AS THE THREATS DO NOT DETER THE LEGISLATORS. IT DOES TEND TO ANTAGONIZE THEM AND DISMISSES THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE REST OF YOUR MESSAGE.
Phone Numbers for the Infrastructure Strategies Committee:
- Bobby Payne (Chair – R): (850) 717-5020
- Sam Garrison (Vice Chair – R): (850) 717-5011
- David Smith (Republican Committee Whip – R): (850) 717-5038
- Christine Hunschofsky (Democratic Ranking Member – D): (850) 717-5095
- Robert Andrade (R): (850) 717-5002
- Adam Botana (R): (850) 717-5080
- Robert Brackett (R): (850) 717-5034
- James Buchanan (R): (850) 717-5074
- Hillary Cassel (D): (850) 717-5101
- Linda Chaney (R): (850) 717-5061
- Anna Eskamani (D): (850) 717-5042
- Tom Fabricio (R): (850) 717-5110
- Michael Gottlieb (D): (850) 717-5102
- Sam Killebrew (R): (850) 717-5048
- Johanna Lopez (D): (850) 717-5043
- Fiona McFarland (R): (850) 717-5073
- James Mooney, Jr. (R): (850) 717-5120
- Angela Nixon (D): (850) 717-5013
- Susan Plasencia (R): (850) 717-5037
- Felicia Robinson (D): (850) 717-5104
- Jason Shoaf (R): (850) 717-5007
- Cyndi Stevenson (R): (850) 717-5018
- Josie Tomkow (R): (850) 717-5051
- Keith Truenow (R): (850) 717-5026
Every call gets heard and tallied. Every respectful conversation with a staffer is an excellent opportunity to change a mind about our community with someone who has direct contact with a lawmaker. YOUR EFFORTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
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This does not surprises me. I try to optimistic, but, being as human as I am, I commented to my wife that in the past (before I met her) I thought it was better be dead than going through all the crap, stupid requirements and awful and constant stigmatization we live day by day.
To be clear…I don’t think like that anymore.
Time to start looking for a lawyer to assist with an injunction.
I have already pledged $100. RI had its 1000 foot rule enjoined for over 8 years before the court found in favor or the registrant so if they can do it so can we
I agree.
Only 7 democrats on the committee. Now I know how the Spartans felt facing the entire Persian army.
Rick, do you know how everyone on the committee voted, both Republicans and Democrats? Is this published somewhere? I’ve seen members of both parties harm us.
Are we preparing to ask the courts for an injunction, then preparing to litigate unconstitutionality? I mean really, we live in the USA. Not Russia, Germany, or some other place. What’s next? Will we have to wear the star of David on our lapels?
Richard
I would proudly wear the star of David even though I am not Jewish.
We will get a star of shame. Not a star on Hollywood Blvd. Not a star named after us. We won’t become a movie star. Maybe the mark of the beast? We are supposed to reject that mark. I mean come on, the mark on the license is red just like Satan’s jumpsuit.
Yes, they will get lots of calls against this bill. Why do they ignore them?
They say they “received lots of calls on this bill” but do not say they were all against the bill, making it seemingly that the calls favored the bill.
I listened to the house committee and every one of them just said “my office has received lot of calls on this”, but did not say every single call was against the bill….
At what point does the Supreme court finally step in and say “Enough is enough”? If this passes, (And it seems it will) the possibilities are limitless.
Bumper stickers on our cars bumpers stating we are on the registry.
Having to tell our doctors offices we are a registrant.
Having special hours we are allowed to shop anywhere where the public is present.
Not being allowed in public restrooms.
Have other forms of I.D marked like our credit cards, our insurance cards, etc.
And to fight it if it passes could take years. And someone please tell me why this does not teeter on compelled speech?
Jack I pledge 100$ heck $150 toward an injunction. And it is compelled speech. It is illegal under due process as well as the equal protection clause. Bank robbers do not have a marking that a bank teller could see!!! I have already told my wife this is my Alamo if this passes I’ll be looking at filing an injunction and or moving out of state which is sad been in the same house since 2003. Great neighbors never any issues and have raised 3 daughters here but as I said This is my ALAMO
If the bill is passed and the deadline to get the new license is July 1st. How many days can we go before July 1st to get the new license? Can we go as soon as the bill is passed? Do we only get two days before July 1st. What is the protocol on that?
Great questions, Jennifer. Do they have to notify us or is this a strict liability law where theres no defense to not knowing and not complying?
Great. Need more people like you to financially support. I’ve contributed $2,800 to FAC Legal fund.