At the time of the posting of this Call To Action, the dates for the floor votes have not been determined. 

The many calls, emails, and letters on these bills are having an effect as opposition to these bills is starting to come from some of our legislators.  Representative Maney was not nearly as confident in the third committee meeting as he was in the first one.  He even acknowledged that legislators have been sharing concerns with him about the red lettering.  SO, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR US TO LET UP!!!

ALL 160 FLORIDA LEGISLATORS NEED TO HEAR FROM US BEFORE THE FINAL FLOOR VOTE CONCERNING THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL RED LETTERING ON THE DRIVER’S LICENSES PROPOSED IN THESE TWO BILLS.

You might also want to include a sentence or two about your opposition to HB 833, the reporting of 24-hour stays at vacation rentals.  Talking points for this bill are posted in the Call To Action for HB 833 at floridaactioncommittee.org.

PLEASE do the following:

• Email all 160 members, or as many members as you can, in the Florida legislature. If you cannot email our legislators, or choose not to, please call as many as you can.
• State that you OPPOSE the part of both bills 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 legislator’s district.
• Give some reasons as to why you oppose these bills. (Refer to suggestions made below.)
• Ask family members and friends to also call to oppose the red lettering. (If these people live out of state: they can state that they are concerned that such unconstitutional laws could spread to their state; they travel to Florida and do not feel comfortable visiting a state that does not abide by the U.S. Constitution, etc.)
• If our emails are treated as spam, then they will never be read. The FAC IT Committee recommends that we send only ONE EMAIL at a time to assure this does not happen.
• Even if you are not able to email (or call) all 160 legislators, please email as many as you can. Every little bit helps.
• Please work on the House of Representatives (HB 1085) first as their floor vote could be sooner than the vote in the Senate (SB 1252). There has to be 3 days between the last committee meeting and the floor vote, so the vote on SB 1252 would come at the middle of next week at the earliest.  The last committee meeting for HB 1085 was April 17.  Its floor vote could come as early as this Friday, April 21.  SO, PLEASE START EMAILING THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FIRST.  THEN WORK ON EMAILING THE SENATORS.

Comments made by Representative Patt Maney at the April 17 House Infrastructure Strategies Committee that need to be corrected:

• When asked for an example of why it was necessary to change the markings that are already present on the driver’s licenses or identification cards for people on the sex offense registry, the only answer Maney could come up with was that “not everyone is as careful as you are”, i. e., law enforcement and landlords are not as careful. (Law enforcement uses the David check or FDIC which typically comes back in minutes with a greater history of who the person is.  Additionally, law enforcement is not saying that they are having a difficult time seeing the statute number or the words “SEXUAL PREDATOR.”)
• Maney argued that marking the front of the driver’s license in red is the least intrusive way. (Two other representatives argued that the red lettering is NOT less intrusive than what is currently used on the licenses.  Courts have said the markings need to be the least restrictive means.)
• Maney argued that the red lettering of the information on the driver’s license is totally unlike the Louisiana and Alabama cases. (The red lettering is not “totally unlike” the LA and AL cases.  The courts in both cases specifically said that the state must use the “least restrictive means’ in conveying its message because such a message – and code or announcement on the cards – constitutes compelled speech under the First Amendment, so strict scrutiny applies.  The whole point of HB 1085 and SB 1252 is to make the driver’s licenses for people on the registry very noticeable to the average person, which is exactly what the courts in LA and AL said is prohibited by the U.S. Constitution.  Representative Maney needs to read both entire cases.)
• Maney stated that words are not on the Florida licenses – just letters. (This is incorrect.  Either the statute number is on the front of the license or the words SEXUAL PREDATOR.)
• Maney stated that some law enforcement in smaller Florida communities may treat people differently than law enforcement officials do in cities. (The implication made was that law enforcement in our smaller communities are not as capable as law enforcement in the larger cities.  There was no documentation given to back up such a statement.)
• Maney stated that the red lettering on the Florida licenses would be clearly less intrusive than what Alabama is using. (The point is not which is less intrusive but whether the state is using the least intrusive means.  This is the point that Representative Maney does not want to deal with.)
• When asked whether people who had adjudication withheld can be placed on the registry, Maney thought they could not. (Maney is wrong.  The Florida Sex Offender Act specifically states that having adjudication withheld is irrelevant and that such persons must be required to register.)
• When asked if Romeo and Juliet offenders can be placed on the registry, Maney said he did not know. (In the Romeo and Juliet cases, it is very difficult for individuals to be removed because there is controlling case law in Florida that says in order for a person to be removed, they cannot still be required to register under Federal SORNA, which most of them are because under Federal SORNA, if any force was used, that automatically makes the person a Tier III offender who must register for life or at least 25 years if they were under 18 at the time of the offense.  Many of the Romeo and Juliet registrants are unable to get off the registry.  Even for those who are eligible to be removed, many have no idea that they are eligible, or if they do know they are eligible, they do not have the money to hire an attorney to apply for the removal.  Money is difficult for many registrants to come by because of the Scarlett Red Letter hung around their neck that can make it impossible to find a decent-paying job.)

 Representative Maney does not have a clear understanding of the statutes and case law for people with a sex offense. Please consult with attorneys that do have such knowledge before voting on HB 1085 or SB 1252.

Additional talking points:

• Florida currently has two court cases challenging the markings on the licenses and identification cards. One is in the Southern District with the other case being in the Northern District.  This is all public record.
• Similar provisions in Louisiana and Alabama have been struck down as unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds. Both the Supreme Court of Louisiana, on the state level, and the Middle District of Alabama, on the federal level — two very conservative courts — have ruled that states must employ the least restrictive means when branding the driver’s licenses and identification cards for persons required to register as sex offenders.
• Currently, a discrete numerical code appears in blue on the driver’s licenses of persons required to register in Florida. Sheriffs and police officers throughout the state are already aware of this code and its meaning, as are most schools. In fact, most schools in this state employ card scanning technology that immediately alert school officials to the card holder’s status. The red-letter provision of SB 1252 and HB 1085 are therefore as unnecessary as they are unconstitutional.
• As several House Representatives recently acknowledged during committee deliberations, the red-letter provision of this bill is clearly unconstitutional, as it constitutes compelled speech that does not utilize the least restrictive means of expressing that the card holder is required to register. Supporting the red-letter provision of this bill is not being “tough on crime,” but rather is being tough on the First Amendment, whose guarantees protect all individuals, even the most unpopular members of society, from government compelled speech and shaming, which would be the practical effects of the red-letter provision of SB 1252 and HB 1085.
• There are currently 52 registry requirements for people on the 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. 
• With a possible 53^rd punitive registry requirement being passed into law, the tens of thousands of people on the Florida registry, along with family members and friends who are punished by these registry requirements, are beginning to unite to file a lawsuit if HB 1085 and SB 1252 are passed into law. Talks have begun with attorneys.
• It is the responsibility of our elected Florida Legislators to ensure that all bills passed into law are constitutional. It should NOT have to be the responsibility of hard-working Florida citizens to ensure that new laws are constitutional by having to file costly lawsuits.  LEGISLATORS, PLEASE DO YOUR JOB!

Emails and Phone Numbers for Florida House of Representatives:

1. Shane G. Abbott:  Shane.Abbott@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5005
2. Thad Altman:  Thad.Altman@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5032
3. Daniel Antonio “Danny” Alvarez:  Danny.Alvarez@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5069
4. Carolina Amesty:  Carolina.Amesty@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5045
5. Adam Anderson:  Adam.Anderson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5057
6. Robert Alexander “Alex “Andrade:  Alex.Andrade@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5002
7. Bruce Hadley Antone:  Bruce.Antone@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5041
8. Kristen Aston Arrington:  Kristen.Arrington@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5046
9. Jessica Baker:  Jessica.Baker@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5017
10. Douglas Michael “Doug” Bankson:  Doug.Bankson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5039
11. Webster Barnaby:  Webster.Barnaby@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5029
12. Robin Bartleman:  Robin.Bartleman@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5103
13. Fabián Basabe:  Fabian.Basabe@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5106
14. Melony M. Bell:  Melony.Bell@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5049
15. Mike Beltran:  Mike.Beltran@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5070
16. Christopher Benjamin:  Christopher.Benjamin@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5107
17. Kimberly Berfield:  Kim.Berfield@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5058
18. Dean Black:  Dean.Black@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5015
19. David Borrero:  David.Borrero@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5111
20. Adam Botana:  Adam.Botana@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5080
21. Robert A. “Robbie” Brackett:  Robert.Brackett@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5034
22. LaVon Bracy Davis:  LaVon.BracyDavis@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5040
23. Robert Charles “Chuck” Brannan III:  Chuck.Brannan@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5010
24. James Buchanan:  James.Buchanan@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5074
25. Demi Busatta Cabrera:  Demi.BusattaCabrera@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5114
26. Daryl Campbell:  Daryl.Campbell@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5099
27. Jennifer Canady:  Jennifer.Canady@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5050
28. Michael A. “Mike” Caruso:  Mike.Caruso@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5087
29. Joe Casello:  Joe.Casello@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5090
30. Hillary Cassel:  Hillary.Cassel@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5101
31. Kevin D. Chambliss:  Kevin.Chambliss@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5117
32. Linda Chaney:  Linda.Chaney@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5061
33. Charles Wesley “Chuck” Clemons Sr.:  Chuck.Clemons@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5022
34. Lindsay Michelle Cross:  Lindsay.Cross@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5060
35. Dan Daley:  Dan.Daley@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5096
36. Kimberly Daniels:  Kimberly.Daniels@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5014
37. Fentrice Driskell:  Fentrice.Driskell@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5067
38. Wyman Duggan:  Wyman.Duggan@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5012
39. Lisa Dunkley:  Lisa.Dunkley@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5097
40. Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds:  Jervonte.Edmonds@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5088
41. Anna V. Eskamani:  Anna.Eskamani@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5042
42. Tiffany Esposito:  Tiffany.Esposito@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5077
43. Tom Fabricio:  Tom.Fabricio@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5110
44. Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin:  JuanF.Barquin@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5118
45. Randy Fine:  Randy.Fine@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5033
46. Gallop Franklin II:  Gallop.Franklin@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5008
47. Ashley Viola Gantt:  Ashley.Gantt@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5109
48. Alina Garcia:  Alina.Garcia@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5115
49. Sam Garrison:  Sam.Garrison@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5011
50. Mike Giallombardo:  Mike.Giallombardo@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5079
51. Karen Gonzalez Pittman:  Karen.Pittman@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5065
52. Peggy Gossett-Seidman:  Peggy.GossettSeidman@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5091
53. Michael “Mike” Gottlieb:  Michael.Gottlieb@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5102
54. Michael Grant:  Michael.Grant@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5075
55. Tommy Gregory:  Tommy.Gregory@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5072
56. Philip Wayne “Griff” Griffitts Jr.:  Griff.Griffitts@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5006
57. Jennifer “Rita” Harris:  Rita.Harris@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5044
58. Dianne “Ms Dee” Hart:  Dianne.Hart@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5063
59. Fred Hawkins:  Fred.Hawkins@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5035
60. Yvonne Hayes Hinson:  Yvonne.Hinson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5035
61. Jeff Holcomb:  Jeff.Holcomb@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5053
62. Christine Hunschofsky:  C.Hunschofsky@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5095
63. Berny Jacques:  Berny.Jacques@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5059
64. Dotie Joseph:  Dotie.Joseph@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5108
65. Sam H. Killebrew:  Sam.Killebrew@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5048
66. Traci Koster:  Traci.Koster@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5066
67. Chip LaMarca:  Chip.LaMarca@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5100
68. Thomas J. “Tom” Leek:  Tom.Leek@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5028
69. Johanna López:  Johanna.Lopez@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5043
70. Vicki L. Lopez:  Vicki.Lopez@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5113
71. Randall Scott “Randy” Maggard:  Randy.Maggard@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5054
72. Patt Maney:  Patt.Maney@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5004
73. Ralph E. Massullo, MD:  Ralph.Massullo@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5023
74. Stan McClain:  Stan.McClain@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5027
75. Lawrence McClure:  Lawrence.McClure@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5068
76. Fiona McFarland:  Fiona.McFarland@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5073
77. Lauren Melo:  Lauren.Melo@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5082
78. Kiyan Michael:  Kiyan.Michael@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5016
79. James Vernon “Jim” Mooney Jr:  Jim.Mooney@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5120
80. Angela “Angie” Nixon:  Angie.Nixon@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5013
81. Tobin Rogers “Toby” Overdorf:  Toby.Overdorf@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5085
82. Bobby Payne:  Bobby.Payne@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5020
83. Daniel Perez:  Daniel.Perez@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5116
84. Jenna Persons-Mulicka:  Jenna.Persons@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5078
85. Rachel Lora Saunders Plakon:  Rachel.Plakon@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5036
86. Susan Plasencia:  Susan.Plasencia@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5037
87. Juan Carlos Porras:  JuanCarlos.Porras@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5119
88. Michele K. Rayner-Goolsby:  Michele.Rayner@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5062
89. Paul Renner:  Paul.Renner@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5019
90. Alex Rizo:  Alex.Rizo@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5112
91. Spencer Roach:  Spencer.Roach@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5076
92. Felicia Simone Robinson:  Felicia.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5104
93. William Cloud “Will” Robinson Jr.:  Will.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5071
94. Bob Rommel:  Bob.Rommel@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5081
95. Rick Roth:  Rick.Roth@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5094
96. Dr. Joel Rudman:  Joel.Rudman@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5003
97. Michelle Salzman:  Michelle.Salzman@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5001
98. Jason Shoaf:  Jason.Shoaf@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5007
99. David Silvers:  David.Silvers@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5089
100. Tyler I. Sirois:  Tyler.Sirois@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5031
101. Kelly Skidmore:  Kelly.Skidmore@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5092
102. David Smith:  David.Smith@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5038
103. John Snyder:  John.Snyder@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5086
104. Paula A. Stark:  Paula.Stark@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5047
105. Kevin M. Steele:  Kevin.Steele@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5055
106. Cyndi Stevenson:  Cyndi.Stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5018
107. Allison Tant:  Allison.Tant@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5009
108. John Paul Temple: John.Temple@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5052
109. Josie Tomkow:  Josie.Tomkow@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5051
110. Dana Trabulsy:  Dana.Trabulsy@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5084
111. Chase Tramont:  Chase.Tramont@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5030
112. Keith L. Truenow:  Keith.Truenow@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5026
113. Kaylee Tuck:  Kaylee.Tuck@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5083
114. Susan L. Valdés:  Susan.Valdes@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5064
115. Katherine Waldron:  Katherine.Waldron@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5093
116. Patricia H. Williams:  Pat.Williams@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5098
117. Marie Paule Woodson:  Marie.Woodson@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5105
118. Taylor Michael Yarkosky:  Taylor.Yarkosky@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5025
119. Bradford Troy “Brad” Yeager:  Brad.Yeager@myfloridahouse.gov  (850) 717-5056
120. PENDING SPECIAL ELECTION

Emails and Phone Numbers for Florida Senators:

1. Ben Albritton:  albritton.ben.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5027
2. Bryan Avila:  avila.bryan.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5039
3. Dennis Baxley:  baxley.dennis.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5013
4. Lori Berman:  berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5026
5. Lauren Book:  book.lauren.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5035
6. Jim Boyd:  boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5020
7. Jennifer Bradley:  bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5006
8. Jason Brodeur:  brodeur.jason.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5010
9. Doug Broxson:  broxson.doug.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5001
10. Danny Burgess:  burgess.danny.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5023
11. Colleen Burton:  burton.colleen.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5012
12. Alexis Calatayud:  calatayud.alexis.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5038
13. Jay Collins:  collins.jay.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5014
14. Tracie Davis:  davis.tracie.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5005
15. Nick DiCeglie:  diceglie.nick.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5018
16. Ileana Garcia:  garcia.ileana.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5036
17. Erin Grall:  grall.erin.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5029
18. Joe Gruters:  gruters.joe.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5022
19. Gayle Harrell:  harrell.gayle.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5031
20. Ed Hooper:  hooper.ed.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5021
21. Travis Hutson:  hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5007
22. Blaise Ingoglia:  ingoglia.blaise.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5011
23. Shevrin Jones:  jones.shevrin.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5034
24. Jonathan Martin:  martin.jonathan.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5033
25. Debbie Mayfield:  mayfield.debbie.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5019
26. Rosalind Osgood:  osgood.rosalind.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5032
27. Kathleen Passidomo:  passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5028
28. Keith Perry:  perry.keith.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5009
29. Jason Pizzo:  pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5037
30. Tina Scott Polsky:  polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5030
31. Bobby Powell:  powell.bobby.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5024
32. Ana Maria Rodriguez:  rodriguez.anamaria.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5040
33. Darryl Rouson:  rouson.darryl.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5016
34. Corey Simon:  simon.corey.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5003
35. Linda Stewart:  stewart.linda.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5017
36. Geraldine Thompson:  thompson.geraldine.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5015
37. Victor Torres:  torres.victor.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5025
38. Jay Trumbull:  trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5002
39. Tom Wright:  wright.tom.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5008
40. Clay Yarborough:  yarborough.clay.web@flsenate.gov  (850) 487-5004

Every email/call gets tallied.  Every respectful communication is an excellent opportunity to change a mind about our community with a lawmaker.  YOUR EFFORTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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The post CALL TO ACTION FOR FLOOR VOTES ON HB 1085 AND SB 1252 – RED LETTERING ON DRIVER’S LICENSES appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Major Concerns About This Bill:

• HB 833 is of great concern as it would require reporting stays of 24 hours or longer at vacation rentals. A vacation rental is defined to be any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment but that is not a timeshare project.
• This bill is now in the House Ways & Means Committee with no meeting scheduled at this time, but we are working on the assumption that there will eventually be a meeting.
• In the bill analysis for 2023 (page 15), the FDLE has warned that the 24-hour reporting for vacation rentals will require an increase in registration staff to accommodate the growth in registrants who must appear in person to register.
• FDLE has also warned that this bill may require increased hours of availability for sheriffs’ offices as only four registration offices in Florida are open for registration 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• In the analyses for this same bill that was introduced in 2021 and 2022, the FDLE warned that lawsuits could ensue as a result of this 24-hour reporting for vacation rentals that would make traveling in Florida more difficult for people on the registry.
• The Florida Legislators are choosing to ignore the warnings from FDLE.
• There are three companion bills, but at the present time none contains this onerous verbiage.

PLEASE Do the Following:

• Call all members of the House Ways & Means 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 reporting of the 24-hour stay in a vacation rental.
• Mention that you are a constituent if you happen to live in the representative’s district.
• Give two brief reasons why you oppose the reporting of the 24-hour stays at vacation rentals.
• Ask family members and friends to also call to oppose this reporting.

TALKING POINTS:

• The shortened time for required registration will make it impossible for registered citizens to comply if they check in on a weekend.
• According to FDLE in the 2023 committee analysis, most registration offices are not open 7 days a week, which would be necessary to accommodate the 24-hour reporting.
• Because this part of the bill could make it nearly impossible for registered citizens to travel throughout the state of Florida, FDLE warned in their 2022 analysis (pages 15-16) of lawsuits.
• In the same 2022 analysis, FDLE said that if the intent is to provide updated information on registrants in vacation rentals, this is not attainable for persons coming into Florida that have not previously registered in the state (which is expected to be a large proportion of registrations received under this bill).  Registrants coming to Florida from other states require research from other state registries which are normally only open on weekdays, making dissemination to the public impossible.
• FDLE has said this change will lead to a “substantial increase” in the number of registered citizens required to complete a registration. This will potentially increase the workload of the FDLE and require programming changes to FDLE’s technology systems and incur increased costs.
• FDLE warns in the 2023 analysis that this bill could potentially require an increase in registration staff to accommodate the growth in registrants who must appear in person to register.
• This additional restriction would be punitive for registered citizens, making it unconstitutional.
• What is the purpose of requiring this 24-hour registration? What is the research that is being used to justify this part of the bill?
• Florida already has 52 registry requirements for people on the sex offense registry, where noncompliance for any one of them could result in 5 years of prison. Why is the legislature trying to further punish the tens of thousands of registrants on the Florida registry who are now law-abiding citizens?

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 Ways & Means Committee:

1. Stan McClain (Chair – R):  (850) 717-5027 Stan.McClain@myfloridahouse.gov
2. James Buchanan (Vice Chair – R):  (850) 717-5074 James.Buchanan@myfloridahouse.gov
3. Chip LaMarca (Republican Committee Whip – R):  (850) 717-5100 Chip.LaMarca@myfloridahouse.gov
4. Anna Eskamani (Democratic Ranking Member – D):  (850) 717-5042 Anna.Eskamani@myfloridahouse.gov
5. Douglas Bankson (R):  (850) 717-5039 Doug.Bankson@myfloridahouse.gov
6. Webster Barnaby (R):  (850) 717-5029 Webster.Barnaby@myfloridahouse.gov
7. Kimberly Berfield (R):  (850) 717-5058 Kim.Berfield@myfloridahouse.gov
8. Daryl Campbell (D):  (850) 717-5099 Daryl.Campbell@myfloridahouse.gov
9. Michael Caruso (R):  (850) 717-5087 Mike.Caruso@myfloridahouse.gov
10. Joe Casello (D):  (850) 717-5090 Joe.Casello@myfloridahouse.gov
11. Dan Daley (D):  (850) 717-5096 Dan.Daley@myfloridahouse.gov
12. Wyman Duggan (R):  (850) 717-5012 Wyman.Duggan@myfloridahouse.gov
13. Tom Fabricio (R):  (850) 717-5110 Tom.Fabricio@myfloridahouse.gov
14. Juan Fernandez-Barquin (R):  (850) 717-5118 JuanF.Barquin@myfloridahouse.gov
15. Dianne Hart (D):  (850) 717-5063 Dianne.Hart@myfloridahouse.gov
16. Sam Killebrew (R):  (850) 717-5048 Sam.Killebrew@myfloridahouse.gov
17. Michele Rayner-Goolsby (D):  (850) 717-5062 Michele.Rayner@myfloridahouse.gov
18. Spencer Roach (R):  (850) 717-5076 Spencer.Roach@myfloridahouse.gov
19. William Robinson, Jr. (R):  (850) 717-5071 Will.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov
20. Rick Roth (R):  (850) 717-5094 Rick.Roth@myfloridahouse.gov
21. Tyler Sirois (R):  (850) 717-5031 Tyler.Sirois@myfloridahouse.gov
22. David Smith (R):  (850) 717-5038 David.Smith@myfloridahouse.gov
23. Allison Tant (D):  (850) 717-5009 Allison.Tant@myfloridahouse.gov
24. Susan Valdes (D):  (850) 717-5064 Susan.Valdes@myfloridahouse.gov

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!

This Call To Action has been SUPERSEDED.
Comments are now disabled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW CALL TO ACTION

The post CALL TO ACTION #2 for HB 833 — 24-Hour Reporting for Vacation Rentals appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

(NOTE: Rep email addresses have been fixed. 3/31)

Major Concerns About This Bill:

• This is the Senate companion bill to HB 1085, which is moving through the House committees.
• SB 1252 would require “SEXUAL PREDATOR” and “943.0435” to be printed in a distinctive format and in RED on driver’s licenses and identification cards.
• SB 1252 is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, & Economic Development.
• Information on the Louisiana and Alabama court cases have been sent to the analysts of the committees that the “red lettering” bills have passed through so far. One analyst even thanked us for making her aware of them; yet, these court cases are not showing up in the analyses.  We need to make sure that every legislator that is sitting on a committee that SB 1252 (and HB 1085) goes through is aware of these cases, particularly the ruling in the Alabama case.  These legislators need to know that they are voting on a bill that is unconstitutional.

PLEASE Do the Following:

• Call all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, & Economic Development.
• 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. 

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 Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, & Economic Development:

1. Ed Hooper (Chair – R):    (850) 487-5021;    hooper.ed.web@flsenate.gov
2. Jay Trumbull (Vice Chair – R):    (850) 487-5002;    trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov
3. Jay Collins (R):   ( 850) 487-5014;    collins.jay.web@flsenate.gov
4. Nick DiCeglie (R):   ( 850) 487-5018;    diceglie.nick.web@flsenate.gov
5. Erin Grall (R):    (850) 487-5029;    grall.erin.web@flsenate.gov
6. Keith Perry (R):    (850) 487-5009;    perry.keith.web@flsenate.gov
7. Tina Scott Polsky (D):    (850) 487-5030;    polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov
8. Bobby Powell (D):    (850) 487-5024;    powell.bobby.web@flsenate.gov
9. Linda Stewart (D):    (850) 487-5017;    stewart.linda.web@flsenate.gov
10. Geraldine F. Thompson (D):    (850) 487-5015;    thompson.geraldine.web@flsenate.gov
11. Tom A. Wright (R):    (850) 487-5008;    wright.tom.web@flsenate.gov
12. Clay Yarborough (R):    (850) 487-5004;    yarborough.clay.web@flsenate.gov

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!

This Call To Action has been SUPERSEDED.
Comments are now disabled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW CALL TO ACTION

The post CALL TO ACTION #2 for SB 1252 — Red Lettering on Driver’s Licenses appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

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:

1. Bobby Payne (Chair – R): (850) 717-5020

Bobby.Payne@myfloridahouse.gov

2. Sam Garrison (Vice Chair – R): (850) 717-5011

Sam.Garrison@myfloridahouse.gov

3. David Smith (Republican Committee Whip – R): (850) 717-5038

David.Smith@myfloridahouse.gov

4. Christine Hunschofsky (Democratic Ranking Member – D): (850) 717-5095

C.Hunschofsky@myfloridahouse.gov

5. Robert Andrade (R): (850) 717-5002

Alex.Andrade@myfloridahouse.gov

6. Adam Botana (R): (850) 717-5080

Adam.Botana@myfloridahouse.gov

7. Robert Brackett (R): (850) 717-5034

Robert.Brackett@myfloridahouse.gov

8. James Buchanan (R): (850) 717-5074

James.Buchanan@myfloridahouse.gov

9. Hillary Cassel (D): (850) 717-5101

Hillary.Cassel@myfloridahouse.gov

10. Linda Chaney (R): (850) 717-5061

Linda.Chaney@myfloridahouse.gov

11. Anna Eskamani (D): (850) 717-5042

Anna.Eskamani@myfloridahouse.gov

12. Tom Fabricio (R): (850) 717-5110

Tom.Fabricio@myfloridahouse.gov

13. Michael Gottlieb (D): (850) 717-5102

Michael.Gottlieb@myfloridahouse.gov

14. Sam Killebrew (R): (850) 717-5048

Sam.Killebrew@myfloridahouse.gov

15. Johanna Lopez (D): (850) 717-5043

Johanna.Lopez@myfloridahouse.gov

16. Fiona McFarland (R): (850) 717-5073

Fiona.McFarland@myfloridahouse.gov

17. James Mooney, Jr. (R): (850) 717-5120

Jim.Mooney@myfloridahouse.gov

18. Angela Nixon (D): (850) 717-5013

Angie.Nixon@myfloridahouse.gov

19. Susan Plasencia (R): (850) 717-5037

Susan.Plasencia@myfloridahouse.gov

20. Felicia Robinson (D): (850) 717-5104

Felicia.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov

21. Jason Shoaf (R): (850) 717-5007

Jason.Shoaf@myfloridahouse.gov

22. Cyndi Stevenson (R): (850) 717-5018

Cyndi.Stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov

23. Josie Tomkow (R): (850) 717-5051

Josie.Tomkow@myfloridahouse.gov

24. Keith Truenow (R): (850) 717-5026

Keith.Truenow@myfloridahouse.gov

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!

This Call To Action has been SUPERSEDED.
Comments are now disabled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW CALL TO ACTION

The post CALL TO ACTION #4 for HB 1085 – Moved to new committee: Infrastructure Strategies Committee appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

This is the Senate companion bill to HB 1085 that is also moving through the House committees.

Now the Companion Bill is starting to move through the Senate committees.  Initially, the Senate version did not include the red lettering; however, it was recently amended to make the designators in Red.

SB 1252 is scheduled for a meeting this Monday, March 27, 2023, with the Senate Transportation Committee at 11:30. See Names and phone numbers below and what needs to be done.

Please make these calls today.

Information Pertaining to This Bill:

• SB 1252 (lines 841-860) has been amended to say:

All licenses for the operation of motor vehicles or identification cards originally issued or reissued by the department to persons who are designated as sexual predators…or subject to registration as sexual offenders…must have on the front of the license or identification card, in a distinctive format and printed in the color red…either the marking “SEXUAL PREDATOR” or the statute number.

• This bill does NOT include the other personal information in red that HB 1085 does.
• This bill, if passed, will take effect July 1, 2023.

What Needs To Be Done:

1. Call all members of the Senate Transportation Committee.
2. Whether you talk to a person or voicemail, you must give your name and most likely your phone number. Remember that all voicemails are checked, so you can call after hours.
3. State that you OPPOSE the part of the bill that would require the red lettering on driver’s licenses for people on the registry.
4. Mention that you are a constituent if you happen to live in the senator’s district.
5. Give two brief reasons why you oppose the red lettering on the licenses.
6. Ask family members and friends to also call to oppose the red lettering.

Talking Points:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. If this bill is passed as is, will Florida also be facing a costly lawsuit?
4. 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.
5. Research has shown that at least 90% of FUTURE sex crimes will be committed by people NOT on the registry.
6. The markings on the licenses are intended to assist law enforcement, not the public.
7. These driver’s licenses and identification cards are required to be shown in many day-to-day activities: in financial institutions; to TSA officers at the airport; to rent a car; at doctors’ offices; etc.  The red lettering then becomes a type of Scarlett Letter for people on the registry – compelled speech.
8. The author of this bill only sees the red lettering as being used to assist law enforcement. He does not fully understand the punitive nature of this bill for people 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 Senators on the Transportation Committee: 

1. Senator Nick DiCeglie, Chair, (R):     (850) 487-5018, diceglie.nick.web@flsenate.gov
2. Senator Tracie Davis, Vice Chair, (D):    (850) 487-5005, Davis.tracie.web@flsenate.gov
3. Senator Jim Boyd (R):    (850) 487-5020, Boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov
4. Senator Doug Broxson (R):    (850) 595-1036, Broxson.doug.web@flsenate.gov
5. Senator Colleen Burton (R):    (850) 487-5012, Burton.colleen.web@flsenate.gov
6. Senator Joe Gruters (R):    (850) 487-5022, Gruters.joe.web@flsenate.gov
7. Senator Ed Hooper (R):    (850) 487-5021, Hooper.ed.web@flsenate.gov
8. Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo (D):    850) 487-5037, Pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov
9. Senator Victor M. Torres, Jr. (D):    (850) 487-5025, Torres.victor.web@flsenate.gov
10. Senator Jay Trumbull (R):    (850) 487-5002, Trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov

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!

This Call To Action has been superseded. Comments are now disabled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW CTA

The post CALL TO ACTION #1 for SB 1252 — Red Lettering on Driver’s Licenses appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

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.” HB 1085, lines 805-821
• This bill was passed by a vote of 16 to 2 in the Transportation & Modals Subcommittee on 3.15.2023 as a result of a good deal of misinformation. The sponsor, Rep. Patt Maney, did not seem to fully understand what the correct wording was in the bill relating to the red lettering, nor the decision that came out of the Alabama case.
• No committee member or analyst seemed to be aware of the court decisions in Alabama and Louisiana.
• This bill will be moving on to the Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee and the Infrastructure Strategies Committee, which are both in the House of Representatives.

PLEASE Do the Following:

• Call all members of the Infrastructure & Appropriations Subcommittee and 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?
• 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 least 90% of FUTURE sex crimes will be committed by people NOT on the registry.
• The first-of-its-kind meta-analysis study of 25 years of findings of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) evaluations and their effects on recidivism was published in 2021. Eighteen research articles including 474,640 formerly incarcerated individuals were used.  (Journal of Experimental Criminology,“The effectiveness of Sex Offender Registration and Notification: A meta-analysis of 25 years of findings”, Kristen M. Zgoba and Meghan M. Mitchell, September 2021)
• Some of the findings of the above-mentioned study: (1) The sex offense registries have had no effect on sexual and non-sexual crime commission over their periods of existence, thereby failing to deliver on the intention of increasing public safety; (2) Public safety could likely be maximized by focusing limited resources on the highest-risk individuals, rather than utilizing a one-size-fits-all law; and (3) It is time that we work as an empirically informed community, unhindered by emotion, to find a solution to reining the “horse back into the barn”, i.e., reining in the numerous sex offense registry statutes.

Even though the bill passed through the Transportation and Modals Subcommittee, comments were made by different representatives showing that some of the representatives did take note of the high number of calls their office received opposing the red lettering.  YOUR CALL DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

Phone Numbers for the Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee:

1. Robert Andrade (Chair – R): (850) 717-5002
2. Linda Chaney (Vice Chair – R): (850) 717-5061
3. David Silvers (Democratic Ranking Member – D): (850) 717-5089
4. Bruce Antone (D): (850) 717-5041
5. Kimberly Berfield (R): (850) 717-5058
6. Robert Brackett (R): (850) 717-5034
7. Dan Daley (D): (850) 717-5096
8. Tiffany Esposito (R): (850) 717-5077
9. Mike Giallombardo (R): (850) 717-5079
10. Jennifer Harris (D): (850) 717-5044
11. Chip LaMarca (R): (850) 717-5100
12. Vicki Lopez (R): (850) 717-5113
13. Susan Plascencia (R): (850) 717-5037
14. Felicia Robinson (D): (850) 717-5104
15. Bradford Yeager (R): (850) 717-5056

Phone Numbers for the Infrastructure Strategies Committee:

1. Bobby Payne (Chair – R): (850) 717-5020
2. Sam Garrison (Vice Chair – R): (850) 717-5011
3. David Smith (Republican Committee Whip – R): (850) 717-5038
4. Christine Hunschofsky (Democratic Ranking Member – D): (850) 717-5095
5. Robert Andrade (R): (850) 717-5002
6. Adam Botana (R): (850) 717-5080
7. Robert Brackett (R): (850) 717-5034
8. James Buchanan (R): (850) 717-5074
9. Hillary Cassel (D): (850) 717-5101
10. Linda Chaney (R): (850) 717-5061
11. Anna Eskamani (D): (850) 717-5042
12. Tom Fabricio (R): (850) 717-5110
13. Michael Gottlieb (D): (850) 717-5102
14. Sam Killebrew (R): (850) 717-5048
15. Johanna Lopez (D): (850) 717-5043
16. Fiona McFarland (R): (850) 717-5073
17. James Mooney, Jr. (R): (850) 717-5120
18. Angela Nixon (D): (850) 717-5013
19. Susan Plasencia (R): (850) 717-5037
20. Felicia Robinson (D): (850) 717-5104
21. Jason Shoaf (R): (850) 717-5007
22. Cyndi Stevenson (R): (850) 717-5018
23. Josie Tomkow (R): (850) 717-5051
24. 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!

This Call To Action has been superseded. Comments are now disabled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW CTA

The post CALL TO ACTION #3 for HB 1085 Moved to new committees: Infrastructure & Appropriations Subcommittee and Infrastructure Strategies Committee appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

UPDATE: You can watch the session live HERE.

HB 1085 is in the House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee where the wording has been changed.

The original bill stated: “shall have all personal information printed on the front of the license or identification card in the color red.”

The revised bill states: “shall have printed in the color red all information otherwise required to be printed on the front of the license or identification card.”

This Wednesday (March 15) at 3:00 pm this proposed committee substitute (PCS) will be considered. Make your calls today or leave messages after hours.

This change in HB 1085 occurs in lines 805-814.

Of the Utmost Importance:  Aides for members of the House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee are NOT receiving many calls on this bill.  The aides say that calls are more effective.  Emails are not always read in time.

PLEASE do the following:

• Call all members of the House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee.
• 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. (Refer to the previously posted Call to Action for HB 1085 at the FAC website for talking points.)
• Ask family members and friends to also call to oppose the red lettering.

House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee for HB 1085:

Talking points – These are Facts that can be supported by evidence, studies and research

• 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. 
• 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.
• While there is no research showing a need for this bill (lines 116-144), 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 least 90% of FUTURE sex crimes will be committed by people NOT on the registry.
• The first-of-its-kind meta-analysis study of 25 years of findings of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) evaluations and their effects on recidivism was published in 2021. Eighteen research articles including 474,640 formerly incarcerated individuals were used.  (Journal of Experimental Criminology, “The effectiveness of Sex Offender Registration and Notification: A meta-analysis of 25 years of findings”, Kristen M. Zgoba and Meghan M. Mitchell, September 2021)
• Some of the findings of the above-mentioned study: (1) The sex offense registries have had no effect on sexual and non-sexual crime commission over their periods of existence, thereby failing to deliver on the intention of increasing public safety; (2) Public safety could likely be maximized by focusing limited resources on the highest-risk individuals, rather than utilizing a one-size-fits-all law; and (3) It is time that we work as an empirically informed community, unhindered by emotion, to find a solution to reining the “horse back into the barn”, i. e., reining in the numerous sex offense registry statutes.

Talking points – Personal Opinions

If you choose to state a personal opinion, use respect when delivering what you intend to be a common sense remark and that is not intended to be received as an attack on the legislator(s).  The intent is to get them to think through their bill and the consequences, giving them scenarios that they may not have considered.

• The proposed bill states: “A sexual offender or sexual predator who is asked by a law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official to present his or her driver’s license or identification card must completely remove the license or identification card from the place in which it is stored or contained and present the license or identification card to the law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official without any of the colors or markings required under subsection (3) being obscured or hidden.”
  • Doesn’t law enforcement require EVERYONE to remove their license from its holder and hand it to them?
  • Why is this specific to a law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official when the DL/ID is used for much more like cashing a check, boarding a plane, visiting in a hospital, buying a car and much more?
  • Is it only law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official that are unable to read the markings in black?
  • What if the reader is color-blind, will this matter to them, will they be less safe?
• How many draconian registry requirements does it take for Florida Legislators who are using these simply to get votes?
• This was all done by Louisiana to impose additional punishment on registered citizens under the guise of “regulation”.
• Lawsuits are sure to follow if lines 116-144 are kept in HB 1085.
• Where is the research to show that this bill will make society safer? There is no such research.
• What has happened that would cause a Florida house member to propose such an additional restriction on the thousands of registrants on our state registry who are now law-abiding restrictions?
• Being on the registry is for life in Florida, which is one of only three states that have such a requirement. If this bill passes, there are people who “mooned” their high school classmates, juveniles who texted nude photos to other juveniles, 22-year-olds who had consensual sex with their 17-year-old girlfriend/boyfriend and married them after release from prison, people with dementia or autism who unknowingly committed a sex offense, and the list goes on and on, who will be punished the rest of their lives because of this bill if it passes.

SPEAK UP – Make the phone calls and let them hear from you, a Florida Taxpayer, that the action in the lines we oppose are a waste of our tax dollars and have no impact on public safety.  STOP the shaming tactics.

Every call gets heard and tallied. Every respectful conversation with a staffer is an opportunity to spread the truth about our community. YOUR EFFORTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

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HB 833 is of great concern as it would require reporting stays of 24 hours or longer at vacation rentals.  A vacation rental is any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment but that is not a timeshare project.”

Our concern is with lines 684 – 697.

This bill is now in the House Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee with a scheduled meeting for Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 2:00 pm.

There are three companion bills, but at the present time none contains this onerous verbiage.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE:        

 If you call, you will need to give your name and phone number, state that you oppose the language in the bill that would require reporting stays at vacation rentals for 24 hours or more, and give one or two very BRIEF REASONS why you oppose the bill.

• If you happen to be a constituent (live in the representative’s district), please mention this fact.
• If you call after hours, voicemail will pick up. Give the same information listed above.  The aides all say they do count the yeas and nays from the voicemails but only if you leave your name and phone number (or some type of contact information).
• If possible, also send an email or letter through the U.S. Postal Service listing the reasons why you oppose HB 833.

TALKING POINTS:

• The shortened time for required registration will make it impossible for registered citizens to comply if they check in on a weekend.
• This part of the bill would most likely make it impossible for registered citizens to travel.
• Because this part of the bill could make it nearly impossible for registered citizens to travel throughout the state of Florida, FDLE has warned of lawsuits coming over this issue.
• FDLE has said this change will lead to a “substantial increase” in the number of registered citizens required to complete a registration. This will potentially increase the workload of the FDLE and require programming changes to FDLE’s technology systems and incur increased costs.
• This additional restriction would be punitive for registered citizens, making it unconstitutional.
• What is the purpose of requiring this 24-hour registration? What is the research that is being used to justify this part of the bill?
• Florida already has 52 registry requirements for people on the sex offense registry, where noncompliance for any one of them could result in 5 years of prison. Why is the legislature trying to further punish the tens of thousands of registrants on the Florida registry who are now law-abiding citizens?

HOUSE REGULATORY REFORM & ECONOMIC DEVELOOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH CONTACT INFORMATION:

1. Tyler I. Sirois (Chair-R):  850-717-5031; Tyler.Sirois@myfloridahouse.gov
2. Lauren Melo (Vice Chair – R):  850-717-5082; Lauren.Melo@myfloridahouse.gov
3. Joe Casello (Democratic Ranking Member – D):  850-717-5090; Joe.Casello@myfloridahouse.gov
4. Carolina Amesty (R):  850-717-5045; Carolina.Amesty@myfloridahouse.gov
5. Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R):  850-717-5091; Peggy.GossettSeidman@myfloridahouse.gov
6. Jeff Holcomb (R):  850-717-5053; Jeff.Holcomb@myfloridahouse.gov
7. Randall Scott Maggard (R):  850-717-5054; Randy.Maggard@myfloridahouse.gov
8. Patt Maney (R):  850-717-5004; Patt.Maney@myfloridahouse.gov
9. Fiona McFarland (R):  850-717-5073; Fiona.McFarland@myfloridahouse.gov
10. Angela Nixon (D):  850-717-5013; Angie.Nixon@myfloridahouse.gov
11. William Cloud Robinson, Jr. (R):  850-717-5071; Will.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov
12. Jason Shoaf (R):  850-717-5007; Jason.Shoaf@myfloridahouse.gov
13. David Silvers (D):  850-717-5089; David.Silvers@myfloridahouse.gov
14. Susan L. Valdes (D):  850-717-5064; Susan.Valdes@myfloridahouse.gov
15. Bradford Troy Yeager (R):  850-717-5056; Brad.Yeager@myfloridahouse.gov

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HB 1085 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles FILED by Patt Maney (Part of Okaloosa)

 SB 1224 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles FILED by Senator Danny Burgess

 HB 1085 would require color or markings of licenses for the operation of motor vehicles or identification cards for people designated as sexual predators under 775.21 or as sexual offenders under 943.0435 or 944.607.  Their license/identification card “shall have ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION printed on the front of the license or identification card in THE COLOR RED.”

Specifically, the following will be required to be on licenses/identification cards in THE COLOR RED by July 1, 2023:

For people classified as a “sexual predator”:  the marking “SEXUAL PREDATOR”

For people classified as a “sexual offender”:  the marking “943.0435, F.S.”

“A sexual offender or sexual predator who is asked by a law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official to present his or her driver’s license or identification card must completely remove the license or identification card from the place in which it is stored or contained and present the license or identification card to the law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official without any of the colors or markings required under subsection (3) being obscured or hidden.”

See lines 116 – 144 of HB 1085.

For SB 1224, the concerns are lines 135-163.  This bill requires “SEXUAL PREDATOR” AND “943.0435” to be RED on registered citizens’ drivers’ licenses.

What needs to be done:

Please call, email, or send letters through the U.S. Mail to Representative Patt Maney, the author of this bill.  You will need to state your name and that you oppose this part of Bill 108 – Lines 116-144 that address the markings on the license or ID.

If you happen to be a constituent (or supporter) of Representative Maney, let him know that.  You do NOT need to state that you are on the registry if that is your particular situation.

This bill has been moved to the House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee with no scheduled meeting at this time.

If you call and voicemail picks up, state your name and that you oppose HB 1085.  If time permits, give a brief reason(s) why you oppose the bill.  The aides say that they do listen to the voicemails.

NOTE:  If you are willing to voice opposition to lines 116-144 in HB 1085 and are NOT a registered citizen, family member/friend of a registrant, or do NOT live in Florida, share you concern that such a barbaric law could be passed in the state of Florida as you do not want to see something like this come to your state.  You see Florida as a fun, carefree state to visit and will not support a state that violates the rights of any of its citizens “just because they can do so.”  Or as a citizen of Florida, you are ashamed that Florida would continue to punish people who have served their sentence and are now law-abiding citizens.  Nothing has happened to make this proposed bill (lines 116-144) necessary.  I do not want my state to base laws on myths and emotions.  I want to be in a state that bases laws on research-based facts.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO BE CONTACTED

Senate Bill 1224: Not assigned a committee at this time but contact the author of the bill:

Senator Danny Burgess                 850-487-5023                    burgess.danny.web@flsenate.gov

House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee for HB 1085:

Talking points – These are Facts that can be supported by evidence, studies and research

• 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. 
• 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.
• While there is no research showing a need for this bill (lines 116-144), 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 least 90% of FUTURE sex crimes will be committed by people NOT on the registry.
• The first-of-its-kind meta-analysis study of 25 years of findings of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) evaluations and their effects on recidivism was published in 2021. Eighteen research articles including 474,640 formerly incarcerated individuals were used.  (Journal of Experimental Criminology, “The effectiveness of Sex Offender Registration and Notification: A meta-analysis of 25 years of findings”, Kristen M. Zgoba and Meghan M. Mitchell, September 2021)
• Some of the findings of the above-mentioned study: (1) The sex offense registries have had no effect on sexual and non-sexual crime commission over their periods of existence, thereby failing to deliver on the intention of increasing public safety; (2) Public safety could likely be maximized by focusing limited resources on the highest-risk individuals, rather than utilizing a one-size-fits-all law; and (3) It is time that we work as an empirically informed community, unhindered by emotion, to find a solution to reining the “horse back into the barn”, i. e., reining in the numerous sex offense registry statutes.

Talking points – Personal Opinions

If you choose to state a personal opinion, use respect when delivering what you intend to be a common sense remark and that is not intended to be received as an attack on the legislator(s).  The intent is to get them to think through their bill and the consequences, giving them scenarios that they may not have considered.

• The proposed bill states: “A sexual offender or sexual predator who is asked by a law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official to present his or her driver’s license or identification card must completely remove the license or identification card from the place in which it is stored or contained and present the license or identification card to the law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official without any of the colors or markings required under subsection (3) being obscured or hidden.”
  • Doesn’t law enforcement require EVERYONE to remove their license from its holder and hand it to them?
  • Why is this specific to a law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official when the DL/ID is used for much more like cashing a check, boarding a plane, visiting in a hospital, buying a car and much more?
  • Is it only law enforcement officer, school resource officer, school official, day care operator, or government official that are unable to read the markings in black?
  • What if the reader is color-blind, will this matter to them, will they be less safe?
• How many draconian registry requirements does it take for Florida Legislators who are using these simply to get votes?
• This was all done by Louisiana to impose additional punishment on registered citizens under the guise of “regulation”.
• Lawsuits are sure to follow if lines 116-144 are kept in HB 1085.
• Where is the research to show that this bill will make society safer? There is no such research.
• What has happened that would cause a Florida house member to propose such an additional restriction on the thousands of registrants on our state registry who are now law-abiding restrictions?
• Being on the registry is for life in Florida, which is one of only three states that have such a requirement. If this bill passes, there are people who “mooned” their high school classmates, juveniles who texted nude photos to other juveniles, 22-year-olds who had consensual sex with their 17-year-old girlfriend/boyfriend and married them after release from prison, people with dementia or autism who unknowingly committed a sex offense, and the list goes on and on, who will be punished the rest of their lives because of this bill if it passes.

SPEAK UP – Make the phone calls and let them hear from you, a Florida Taxpayer, that the action in the lines we oppose are a waste of our tax dollars and have no impact on public safety.  STOP the shaming tactics.

This Call To Action has been superseded. Comments are now disabled.
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW CTA

The post CALL TO ACTION #1 for HB 1085 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).