CALL TO ACTION: Oppose HB 987: Public Lodging Establishments
On April 10th, The Florida House of Representatives amended House Bill 987: Public Lodging Establishments, to require Persons required to register as sex offenders report to the Sheriff’s office where they will be staying, 48 hours before an intended stay at a Public Lodging Establishment, regardless of how long they will stay at the location!
In addition, operators of a Public Lodging Establishment who have a Person required to register as a sex offender staying at or within 1000 feet of their establishment, must notify all guests staying there.
Not only will this be impossible to comply with (you will need to report to the local Sheriff 48 hours before even arriving!), but burdens the travel rights of persons who have served their time and without any individualized assessment of their risk to the community.
It is IMPORTANT that you contact your legislator to tell them to OPPOSE this bill! NOW!
A copy of the Amendment can be found here: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/987/Amendment/348655/PDF
A copy of the Bill can be found here: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/987/BillText/c2/PDF
You can find House Committees and Representatives serving here: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Committees/committees.aspx
You can find all Representatives here: Florida House of Representatives Complete List
You can find all Senators here: Florida Senate Complete List
You can find your specific State and US Representatives here: https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
Discover more from Florida Action Committee
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Commerce Committee members:
https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Committees/committeesdetail.aspx?SessionId=87&CommitteeId=2994
Chair: La Rosa, Mike [R]
Vice Chair: Fischer, Jason [R]
Democratic Ranking Member: Jenne, Evan [D]
Representatives:
Andrade, Robert Alexander “Alex” [R]
Avila, Bryan [R]
Buchanan, James [R]
Casello, Joseph A. “Joe” [D]
Fernández, Javier E. [D]
Fitzenhagen, Heather [R]
Hage, Brett Thomas [R]
Jacquet, Al [D]
Overdorf, Tobin Rogers “Toby” [R]
Plasencia, Rene “Coach P” [R]
Robinson , Jr., William Cloud “Will” [R]
Rodrigues, Ray Wesley [R]
Sabatini, Anthony [R]
Santiago, David [R]
Silvers, David [D]
Stark, Richard [D]
Stevenson, Cyndi [R]
Stone, Charlie [R]
Webb, Jennifer Necole [D]
Willhite, Matt [D]
Williamson, Jayer [R]
Thank you for providing this link. As a business owner myself who is also a registrant, these are exactly the people who need to hear just how damning this asinine this piece of legislation is. Forget the “novelty” of actually taking a vacation; it would be impossible for me to continue my work responsibilities as currently required.
This is the Email I sent to my representative Spencer Roach:
I respectfully ask you to oppose HB 987.
As an offender with an out of state misdemeanor charge from 1994 I feel that this would be more punishment not only to me but to my family as well. We are already required to notify the Lee County Sheriffs office with any travel plans exceeding 3 days.
I do not believe this bill would protect anyone. Most of the folks on the SO Registry could not and would not harm a flea. This will only drive the most dangerous offenders under ground to lurk about undetected.
This bill burdens the travel rights of persons who have served their time and without any individualized assessment of their risk to the community.
Thank you for your continued service to our amazing county and the state that we both live in and share the beauty of.
Ron XXXXXX
Hello can you tell me if this ridiculous bill has already passed or if it hasn’t then when will it take effect?
This is completely INSANE as a means of any kind of reasonable law! Other than a phone call (which every time I have ever called I have always received a “Sorry, xxx can’t speak with you right now, but will call you back” and never got a call back) How can we contact people to be sure this bill does NOT get passed! How can they expect me to, if I am living in Pensacola, and going to vacation in Key West, to travel to Key West 48 hours before I plan to go there, and register? It is bad enough that we have to register when we go for just two days, now they are literally making it IMPOSSIBLE for an SO to go ANYWHERE! THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!!!!!
H0ly $hit! This new language was added to a formerly benign bill on 4/10, barely passing:
CS/CS by- Commerce Committee; YEAS 13 NAYS 11 -HJ 682
and then incorporated into Change 2 on 4/15.
Last Action: 4/17/2019 House – Placed on Calendar
It was first proposed by Goff-Marcil on 4/9, but not considered. But then, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Santiago gets it adopted the next day 4/10.
Does anyone have a good template I can follow to send these out?
My amendment was not considered by the Conmerce Committee and Representative Santiago filed a substitute amendment that also included public lodgings. If you need more explanation, you are welcome to contact my Legislative Aide, Joseph Goldberg at (850) 717-5030. Thank you for letting me know your concerns. Rep Goff-Marcil
— Response I received from the rep who wrote that amendment