Dear Members and Advocates,

This past week, a reader left a comment on one of our stories. They thanked FAC for the work we do and mentioned they had made a donation. Then they apologized that it couldn’t be more.

We want that reader, and all of you, to know you should never apologize, because every dollar does real work in our fight against the registry. Many people don’t realize how far a single dollar goes here. One dollar covers the postage to send a public information request to a government agency, or a letter to a lawmaker. Public information requests are one of the foundations of our lawsuit. The records they produce are the evidence we build on. A letter to a legislator can make a difference on a bill that’s pending. You combine several smaller donations together and it pays to have a defendant in our lawsuit served. Every penny contributes to our fight, your dollar absolutely does make a difference, and none of this work happens without you.

We know how hard it is for people in our community to make ends meet. The registry makes finding work and housing a daily struggle, and many families are just getting by. On paper, $100 is $100, whether it comes from one person or from 20 people giving $5 each. But 20 gifts of $5 tell us something more: that twenty people are standing with us. That kind of support gives us strength when we speak to lawmakers, the courts, and the press. So please know that every penny matters twice. It helps fund the work, but it also shows your support and it adds your voice.

Not every way to help costs money, either. You can write to your lawmakers, or like and share our posts on social media so they reach more people. You can also post a supportive comment under news stories about the registry, like the recent New Times article that featured FAC. Those comments are read by the public. Taking a moment to leave a comment on the source article shows readers that there are two sides to this story and our movement has support. It also supports the journalist that covered our issue, and when editors see that this topic gets lots of interest, it encourages the media to cover our issues even more.

One example of how participation creates momentum is our Change.org petition. Our Change.org petition has suddenly gone viral! More than 1,000 people have signed in just the past couple of weeks and last week we surpassed 10,000 signatures! Every signature shows decision-makers that this issue reaches far beyond the people on the registry. Over the past few months, we’ve been blown away by how much media attention FAC has received. Not long ago, reporters and public figures kept their distance from us. Today they seek us out, a sign of how much recognition FAC has earned and how far the conversation has come. We are in a much stronger position today than we were years ago and we attribute it to our amazing membership. The culmination of every dollar, every letter, every news story, every social media share, every comment and every conversation has added up!

We can finally see that what we are doing is working. Often our work has felt like pushing a boulder up a mountain, but over time we discovered that every person who joins us adds a hand, and the more of us pushing, the easier and faster that boulder moves. So, let’s keep going! FAC runs entirely on volunteers, and our committees are where much of the real work gets done. You don’t need special experience, just a willingness to give some of your time and skills. Joining a committee is also a great way to connect with others who share your commitment and to see firsthand the difference we’re making together. To learn more or sign up, contact membership@floridaactioncommittee.org.

We often write about “FAC” as if it were something separate from the people reading these updates. It isn’t. You are FAC! This is your organization. These are your lawsuits, filed on your behalf and paid for with your dollars. The stories in the media are your mentions, because they carry your voice to people who have never heard it before. And every step forward, every lawsuit filed and every bill stopped or changed, is your victory. You may be someone on the registry, a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend. Either way, you belong here, and this fight belongs to you. Thank you for standing with us, and for being us.

Sincerely,
Florida Action Committee

As of 11/3/2026 we are at 85% of our fundraising goal for this lawsuit! Help get us to the finish line by making a donation here. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to the Florida Action Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) entity) earmarked for this challenge by contacting admin@floridaactionfoundation.org

SOME HEADLINES FROM THE WEEK

Error on registry leads to vandalism on Halloween

Gulf County, FL Moves to Replace Its Sexual Predator Ordinance: We Need Your Help

Moving the Finish Line: An Important Case in Florida’s Third District Court of Appeals

FAC Mentioned in Article: ‘Like lepers’: New state law gives sex offenders nowhere to go in South Florida

The post FAC Weekly Update: Every dollar does real work appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The post Sunday Lookout: Over 10,000 Voices Unite for Truth and Change appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Dear Members and Advocates,

It’s been a busy week for police in the Sunshine State and, of course, Sheriff Grady Judd found another excuse to stand behind a podium flanked by mugshots. You’d think after so many of these the novelty would wear off. You would be wrong.

This week the operation was called “Polk Around and Find Out II” – it was the sequel nobody asked for. Grady’s latest weeklong sting delivered 488 charges, 281 arrests in 7 days, involving a guest list of seventeen police agencies, some prosecutors, and a nonprofit called One More Child. It also included, for reasons that remain unexplained, the U.S. Army CID and the Secret Service. Because nothing protects the homeland like an undercover deputy on a dating app.

These operations are labeled as “human trafficking” stings, but let’s take a closer look at whether operation actually produced arrests of any human traffickers. So, there were 117 sex buyers arrested for agreeing to pay for sex with police posing as sex workers, 122 sex workers arrested for agreeing to sell sex to police posing as clients, 31 men arrested for agreeing to pay for sex with fictitious minors, 32 “illegal aliens”, oh, and one Sheriff’s deputy soliciting a prostitute!

But how many people were charged with human trafficking? Zero! Not a single announced charge. A “trafficking” operation that finds no traffickers would ordinarily be considered a huge failure, but for Grady Judd it was a huge success. Why? Because for him it means the money, keeps flowing. One More Child – the private non-profit – requested $825,000 from Florida taxpayers for 2025–2026 as part of a $3,072,317 anti-sex-trafficking program budget. Polk’s sheriff’s office itself runs on approximately $284.5 million.

The money is just too easy to come by. First off, the largest segment of those arrested were prostitutes. I get it. Prostitution is illegal and sex workers are committing a crime, but prostitution is anecdotally referred to as “the oldest profession” and if we’re now going to rebrand it “human trafficking” and spend millions combatting it, this gravy train isn’t going to end. Just think, the original “Polk Around & Find Out”, which was conducted just 5 months ago in May 2026, resulted in 266 arrests. If Judd runs a sting like this roughly every six months, it’s big business.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, a lawsuit was filed in October 2025 against Judd and the department after a child sexual abuse victim was allegedly made to claim her allegations were false and apologize to her rapist, who was later found guilty. Apparently fictitious 14-year-olds on an app get a multi-agency task force while actual ones in Polk County get a retraction form.

But we shouldn’t single out Grady Judd alone. These operations take place across the state. Every October, law enforcement across Florida rediscovers registrants and goes after them. Hillsborough County (“Operation Scarecrow”). Sumter County (“Operation Ghost Town”). Clay County detectives went door to door reminding people of the rules — no lights on, no Halloween decorations and no jack-o’-lanterns outside their homes — and helpfully warning that “anything can be misconstrued as decorations.” Better take down that fall wreath, folks. The common thread across the state: lots of paperwork arrests, lots of press releases and news headlines, but zero reported cases of a child harmed by a registrant on Halloween. That tracks with the research — the most-cited national study on this (Chaffin, Levenson et al., 2009) found no increase in sex crimes against children on Halloween, before or after these restrictions became fashionable. But “Sheriff confirms nothing happened again” doesn’t make the 6 o’clock news and doesn’t justify millions of dollars for their agencies.

The bottom line is that after hundreds of arrests, millions of dollars, dozens of agencies, and press conferences that would make a game show host jealous, what it didn’t produce were: traffickers, rescued children, or safer neighborhoods. It’s never been about outcomes. It’s about optics. So let’s do a little thought experiment. Take the millions flowing into stings, task forces, nonprofit “screening” partners, and door-to-door jack-o’-lantern patrols, and spend it on actually preventing children from being harmed. Radical, we know.

Here’s the inconvenient truth the podium crowd never mentions: the registry and Halloween compliance sting circuit are aimed at the wrong people. Research summarized by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center notes that 95% of sex crimes are committed by people with no prior sex crime convictions – meaning the folks Florida spends every October harassing over porch lights are, statistically, not the ones who will hurt a child next. Leading researcher David Finkelhor put it plainly: the biggest weakness of offender management as a prevention strategy is that only a small percentage of new offenders have a prior sex offense record. And most child abuse is committed by family members or acquaintances, not strangers. The danger isn’t the registrant three streets over with his lights off. It’s far more often someone already inside the child’s life.

So, what does prevention look like? FAC has been pleading with policymakers to shift toward a public health model aimed at stopping abuse before it ever happens. That means perpetration prevention – confidential help for people who are worried about their own thoughts or behavior before anyone is harmed. Programs like this exist, including one aimed specifically at adolescents and young adults. Florida could fund them statewide for a fraction of a sting budget. Prevention also includes real education for parents, teachers, coaches, and youth organizations on grooming patterns, so the adults surrounding children can spot warning signs early.

And contrary to practice, prevention entails treatment and stable reentry for people coming home, because people with records are less likely to reoffend when they have strong family and community support, stable housing, educational opportunities, and good jobs. Every registrant who loses housing over a residency map is a public safety problem the State created itself.

These paperwork felonies don’t protect anyone! Does catching someone who forgot to report a Google drive account make a single child safer? The Department of Justice already funded a study to find out. Researchers found no significant difference in sexual recidivism between registrants with failure-to-register charges and those without. Failing to register didn’t predict reoffending at all. The same study found the registry had no effect on deterring sexual recidivism. In plain English: Florida is jailing people for clerical errors, calling it child protection, and holding a press conference about it.

If Florida were serious about protecting children, it would follow the evidence: fund prevention, support treatment and reentry, and point police at real crimes with real victims. Our kids deserve better!

Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee

Help get us to the finish line by making a donation here. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to the Florida Action Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) entity) earmarked for this challenge by contacting admin@floridaactionfoundation.org.

SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK

Florida residency restrictions contribute to sex offender clusters in Central Florida neighborhoods

Firearm Possession by Registrants: What the 3rd Circuit Giveth, the 6th Circuit Taketh Away

Teen indicted after admitting to killing sex offender

When “Close Enough” Becomes a Crime: The Analogue Act, AI Images, and the Promise of Fair Notice

Quick Snapshot: What Readers Think

Our survey, “Florida News Coverage: What Do You Think?” has received 84 responses to each question so far.

• Overall reporting: 52 of 84 respondents (62%) described Florida news reporting as mostly or very inaccurate. Another 27 (32%) said it was a mix of accurate and inaccurate.
• Registry coverage: 61 of 84 respondents (73%) said the viewpoint they notice most supports keeping or expanding registry rules.
• Registry statistics: 67 of 84 respondents (80%) said Florida news outlets explain registry statistics mostly or very inaccurately.

These are the views of people who chose to respond, not a representative survey of all Floridians.

The post FAC Weekly Update: The Sheriff Who Never Met a Sex Crime He Didn’t Want a Press Conference For appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The post Sunday Lookout | Stories of Hope After Halloween appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Dear Members and Advocates,

It’s that time of year again! Decorations are up in the neighborhood, candy is all over store shelves, and the annual Halloween hysteria surrounding people on the registry is in full swing. For registered citizens, this means heightened scrutiny, police compliance checks, and headlines designed to scare the public rather than demonstrably protect it.

Every year, we hear warnings about the supposed dangers registrants pose to trick-or-treaters. But where is the evidence of a Halloween epidemic of sexual abuse? You don’t see the same warnings about traffic accidents, but a study published in JAMA Pediatrics found an average of four additional pedestrian deaths on Halloween evenings compared with control evenings. You don’t see legislation addressing safer streets, better visibility, or responsible driving.

You also don’t see people with DUI convictions in their history being forced to stay at home, lights off and a sign on their door saying, “No candy, treats or beverages,” yet a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study reported that nearly half of all crash fatalities during Halloween night in 2024 were alcohol-related.

Thankfully, this year will be better than prior years for some on the registry, because several communities that previously required people on the registry to post signs warning children to stay away lost in legal challenges to the ordinances. For communities that still have them, the writing is on the wall, and we encourage registrants there to challenge them (through competent counsel). We also encourage registrants to challenge the myths when you encounter them in the media. Post comments on the source articles asking for evidence. Ask what these restrictions accomplish. And share Jill Levenson’s article, “Halloween & Sex Crime: Myth vs. Reality,” so that you have the facts to challenge the myths.

In other news, we now have a total of 48 Motions to Dismiss to respond to in FAC v. Keefe. On October 26, Judge Mark Walker issued an order granting FAC’s request for additional time to respond to the defendants’ numerous motions to dismiss, sever, and transfer the case. The Court also agreed with FAC and the defendants who addressed the issue that discovery should be paused until the pending motions are resolved. This is a procedural step, not a ruling on the merits of FAC’s constitutional challenges.

The Court has divided the briefing into two phases. FAC must first respond to arguments seeking to sever and transfer claims against municipalities located outside the Northern District of Florida by November 16, 2026. A second consolidated response addressing the remaining arguments for dismissal is due December 18, 2026. These deadlines give the legal team a structured opportunity to address the defendants’ arguments, with the court considering the venue and transfer issues before turning to the broader dismissal challenges.

There’s A LOT going on at FAC. Our legal team is preparing to meet its deadlines as it works to challenge Florida’s registry laws. Our Legislative team is strategizing for the next legislative session, focusing on youthful offenders and elderly offenders. Our membership committee has added 47 new members to FAC so far this month, and we are printing new brochures to go out in the communities. Our media committee is speaking to journalists across the world and continuing to put out content that will resonate with an audience outside the advocacy world. And many of our members are taking advantage of the support groups and meet and greets that we organize.

With all that we have going on, there’s one thing we hope for every member this Halloween: a quiet, uneventful holiday. We hope you can enjoy the day with your families without embarrassing compliance checks, unnecessary attention from local news outlets, or the vandalism and harassment that too often accompany this time of year. You deserve to live your lives in peace, just like everyone else. So, stay safe, look out for one another, and remember that FAC will keep fighting for a future where Halloween is just Halloween—not another night to worry about being targeted because of your past.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

As of 10/16/2026, we are at 81% of our fundraising goal for this lawsuit! Help get us to the finish line by making a donation here. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to the Florida Action Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) entity) earmarked for this challenge by contacting admin@floridaactionfoundation.org.

SOME HEADLINES FROM THE WEEK

Florida’s Registry: Fear or Facts?

Estonia Gets It. When Will America Catch Up?

But Did Anyone Check the Distance to the Nearest Playground?

Another Unfortunate Ending to an Unfortunate Situation

The post FAC Weekly Update: It’s Halloween Hysteria Time Again! appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Oklahoma Speaks · Part 3

PREMIERES SUNDAY AT 10 A.M. EASTERN

Nowhere to Go:
When Care Cannot Wait

When people grow older, they need care—not closed doors.

Watch the Part 3 Premiere

Catch up: Part 1 Catch up: Part 2

Look at each person’s care needs and risk, not just a label. Keep people safe while helping them get the care they need.

Thank you, Dr. Stephanie Jerstad, for talking with FAC and being willing to help us reach these goals.

Can Florida lawmakers at least have this discussion?

Reader submission

Trying to Understand Florida

A reader asks for the full story behind Florida’s sting operations.

Reader opinion · full text
Read the full submission
Beyond the Veil · Full original article · 2,232 words

Reader-submitted opinion. First-person statements belong to the writer, not FAC. Claims have not been independently verified.

BEYOND THE VEIL

The Truth Behind Florida’s Sex Sting Operations: Who Is Really Being Protected?

Why don’t we start telling the truth about these highly publicized busts that everyone is so quick to celebrate as heroic?

Let’s start with the accusations that these men are predators, prowling the internet looking for children while the rest of the world sleeps, and that law enforcement is tirelessly protecting innocent kids from these monsters.

Then come the warnings to parents about Roblox, Discord, Snapchat, and other platforms where children may be vulnerable.

And parents absolutely SHOULD be watching what their children are doing online.

But here’s the problem: What does that have to do with an investigation conducted on an adult-oriented website?

Why do these press conferences so often leave out where the investigations actually began?

Why don’t they tell the public when the website was intended for adults, when users were required to affirm they were at least 18, when undercover advertisements listed adult ages, or when the supposed minor’s age was introduced only after conversations had already begun?

Why don’t they explain when officers themselves introduced sexual innuendos, initiated sexual discussions, or supplied photographs depicting someone who appeared considerably older than the age being claimed?

And why don’t they talk about what happens when someone expresses discomfort, hesitation, or an unwillingness to get involved with a minor?

What happens when the officer pushes past that reluctance with persuasion, reassurance, or continued encouragement?

I’ve read arrest affidavits describing some of these interactions, and I believe the public is being given a dangerously incomplete picture.

People are quick to say, “Well, if someone told me they were underage, I’d immediately stop talking.”

That’s easy to say when you’re reading a headline.

But how many people know what the actual conversations looked like? How many know what was said before and after the age disclosure? How many know whether an officer continued encouraging someone after that person expressed reluctance?

Those details matter.

And if they don’t matter, why are they being left out?

Let me make one thing absolutely clear.
I am a survivor of childhood sexual molestation and rape.

I know firsthand that sexual abuse is real. I know the damage it causes, and I stand firmly against anyone who deliberately targets children for sexual exploitation.

I do not support child pornography or child sexual abuse material. I do not support internet luring, grooming, trafficking, or any form of sexual abuse involving minors.

I never have, and I never will.

But I also do not support law enforcement luring men into situations, manipulating conversations, and then presenting the resulting arrests as though these men were actively searching for children.

I do not support undercover officers entering adult-oriented spaces and deliberately redirecting encounters between apparent adults into scenarios involving supposed minors.

I do not support officers attempting to overcome someone’s expressed hesitation and then treating the eventual outcome as proof that the person was always looking for a child.

And I certainly do not support selectively presenting facts to the public to create the most inflammatory narrative possible.

At what point does law enforcement stop discovering criminal behavior and start creating it?
That is the question people should be asking.

Entrapment laws exist because government power has limits. Yet, in my opinion, the legal protections surrounding undercover operations have become so broad that officers are given extraordinary latitude to influence situations while defendants face an uphill battle challenging their methods.

Just because something can survive an entrapment challenge doesn’t automatically make it ethical.

Just because an officer can legally say or do something doesn’t mean they should.

And just because a prosecutor can obtain a conviction doesn’t mean every investigative decision leading to that conviction was morally justified.

There is a difference between identifying someone who is actively seeking to exploit a child and creating an opportunity involving a fictional child, then attempting to persuade someone to pursue it.

I believe that difference deserves far more public scrutiny than it’s receiving.

Let’s talk about the undercover officers themselves.
These operations involve adults role-playing children in sexualized conversations.

Think about that for a moment.

Adults are assuming the identities of teenage girls, teenage boys, and sometimes even younger children. They are engaging in conversations that may involve sexual suggestions, requests, reassurance, and manipulation.

How are those conversations supervised?

What psychological training do these officers receive?

What limits are placed on what they can say?

Are they supposed to let the other person lead the conversation?

What happens when someone says they aren’t interested in a minor?

Is the officer supposed to respect that reluctance, or can they continue finding ways to make the encounter seem more appealing or less risky?

In my opinion, the ability to repeatedly engage in this kind of role-playing without meaningful public scrutiny raises serious ethical questions.

I am not claiming every undercover officer is acting improperly. I am questioning a system that permits officers to sexualize fictional children as an investigative technique while asking the public not to examine how those interactions are conducted.

When an officer’s behavior begins to resemble persuasion, manipulation, or grooming tactics, why shouldn’t that officer’s conduct be examined just as critically?

Before everybody grabs their pitchforks and wood chippers, think about something.
How do you know this couldn’t happen to your brother, your father, your husband, your son, or someone you love?

I’m not saying every man arrested in these operations is innocent.

I’m saying you should know what actually happened before deciding every person arrested fits the same predatory narrative.

Look at the press conferences.

Look at the news releases.

Listen to the language being used.

How often do officials say officers “posed as minors” without explaining whether the interaction began on an adult website?

How often do they explain when the purported age was disclosed?

How often do they discuss who initiated sexual topics or what an officer said when a suspect expressed hesitation?

And why do discussions about Roblox, Discord, and children being targeted on social media sometimes accompany investigations that originated somewhere entirely different?

I believe those presentations encourage the public to imagine men prowling children’s online spaces, even when the facts of a particular operation may tell a more complicated story.

You don’t have to take my word for it.

Florida makes many arrest affidavits available through public court records. Read them. Pay attention to where the contact began, how the conversations developed, who introduced specific topics, and what statements were attributed to the accused.

Then ask yourself whether the press release communicated those details fairly.

An arrest affidavit is written to establish probable cause. It is not a complete, neutral transcript of every interaction.

That distinction matters.

Now look at what happens when defendants challenge these operations.
Read the entrapment cases.

Read the appeals.

Look at the arguments that have been rejected and the extent of discretion courts have allowed law enforcement.

I believe the boundaries have become far too permissive.

When police can create an undercover scenario, introduce a minor’s identity, engage in sexually suggestive communications, provide reassurance, and still argue they merely offered an opportunity, we need to seriously examine where the limits actually are.

And beyond what the law technically permits, I want to know what the departmental policies say.

What are the investigative standards?

Who reviews the communications?

Who determines whether an officer went too far?

What happens when procedures are violated?

What independent oversight exists?

A rule that is never enforced is hardly a safeguard at all.

And let’s talk about money, publicity, and incentives.
Florida has had its share of public corruption, fraud, embezzlement, and misuse-of-funds allegations over the years.

I believe it is entirely appropriate to question how grant funding, arrest statistics, publicity, and political incentives influence law-enforcement priorities.

When an agency produces a dramatic operation, announces dozens of arrests, holds a press conference, and receives widespread praise, who is examining the incentives behind that operation?

How much funding supports these stings?

How is success measured?

By the number of arrests? Convictions? Actual children identified and rescued? Repeat offenders stopped? Victims protected?

Are we genuinely measuring child safety, or are we celebrating numbers and headlines?

I worry that a system financially and politically rewarded for producing arrests can become more concerned with generating results than examining whether its methods are ethical.

That is my concern, my opinion, and a question I believe deserves independent investigation.

Florida counts on the emotional reaction.
I believe law enforcement benefits from knowing how deeply the public despises crimes involving children.

People hear the words “child predator,” and the discussion is often over before it begins.

Nobody wants to appear sympathetic.

Nobody wants to ask uncomfortable questions.

Nobody wants to be accused of defending a sex offender.

And that creates a dangerous environment where authorities can face less scrutiny precisely because the accusations are so disturbing.

I used to be one of those people who wouldn’t have given these operations a second glance.

Then someone close to me became involved in one, and I was forced to look more closely.

That experience didn’t change my opposition to child sexual abuse.

It changed my willingness to accept a press conference as the entire truth.

There are children being hurt by these investigations, too.
And I want to talk about them because nobody seems interested in telling their stories.

The children of the people arrested.

Their sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and younger siblings.

Children who wake up one morning with their father or another loved one in their lives, and suddenly that person is gone.

Depending on the court’s restrictions, families may face sweeping prohibitions on contact with minors before there has ever been a conviction.

Imagine trying to explain to a little child why Daddy can’t come home.

Why they can’t talk to him.

Why they can’t see him.

Why someone they love has seemingly disappeared overnight.

Imagine the emotional confusion, fear, instability, and grief that can create.

Are those children somehow less deserving of compassion?

Do their emotional needs stop mattering because a family member has been accused of a terrible crime?

If protecting children is truly the mission, then the consequences for every child affected should matter.

Of course genuine child victims must be protected. But why does concern for one group of children require us to ignore another?

Meanwhile, what is happening to the children who are actually being targeted online?
I want to know how many investigations involve actual victims on platforms where children communicate.

How many reports involving real children are being investigated?

How many predators who are actively seeking minors on social media are being identified?

How much time, manpower, and funding go toward fictional undercover encounters compared with investigations involving actual victims?

I worry that while agencies celebrate arrests generated through adult-oriented websites, real offenders may be exploiting platforms where children actually spend their time.

And I wonder how many of those offenders watch the publicity surrounding these operations and adjust their behavior accordingly.

Are we making children safer, or are we teaching offenders where the police are concentrating their resources?

Where are the independent studies measuring the results?

Where are the comparisons?

Where is the transparency?

I believe Florida’s law enforcement practices deserve independent federal scrutiny.
Not because every officer is corrupt.

Not because everyone arrested is innocent.

And certainly not because crimes against children should be treated lightly.

But because I believe the authority exercised in these operations is substantial enough to require serious, independent examination.

I want to see meaningful oversight of investigative standards, undercover communications, evidence preservation, prosecutorial conduct, and the relationship between funding, publicity, and arrest statistics.

Where agencies have crossed ethical or constitutional boundaries, there should be consequences.

Where policies are inadequate, they should be rewritten.

Where oversight has failed, it should be strengthened or replaced.

And where law enforcement has acted appropriately, the complete evidence should be able to withstand honest scrutiny.

We need to stop confusing accusations with evidence and publicity with justice.
It should never be controversial to demand honesty from the people entrusted to enforce our laws.

It should never be controversial to question the government’s conduct.

It should never be controversial to insist that an accused person receive a fair trial, regardless of how disturbing the charge may be.

And it should never be controversial to recognize that families and children suffer when lives are turned upside down by an arrest.

I believe some of these operations have become more focused on creating the appearance of heroic rescues than demonstrating the full truth about how the encounters actually unfolded.

That’s my opinion.

You’re welcome to disagree with it.

But disagreement is not a substitute for answering the questions.

Protecting children does not require protecting law enforcement from accountability.

Supporting victims does not require abandoning due process.

And standing against sexual abuse does not mean surrendering our right to question government power.

Before you celebrate another headline, look at the evidence.

Before you condemn an entire family, consider the children.

Before you call someone a predator, understand what has actually been established.

And before you decide that questioning these operations makes someone part of the problem, ask yourself why the questions make you so uncomfortable.

Not everything is as it appears.

Truth requires courage. Justice requires integrity. And accountability must apply to everyone.

Look deeper. Question the narrative. Demand the whole truth.

Hope worth sharing
Eight People Get a Fresh Start in Texas

From earlier this year · NARSOL, January 16, 2026 · Not breaking news

Eight people in Texas got off the registry after a legal review. NARSOL reported the news on January 16, 2026. Its Legal Committee reviewed two cases. Lawyer Scott Smith then took them to the state agency. The agency removed both people, then six more.

The report concerns a small group with older deferred-adjudication cases, where the court puts a finding of guilt on hold. They may qualify if they entered the process before September 1, 1999, and completed probation.

Keep in mind: This is not automatic removal or a change in Florida law. Each case needs review.

Read NARSOL’s January 16 report

Sign the U.N. petition

Sign and share FAC’s petition. Help more people see how public registries affect families.

Sign & share the petition

Support FAC’s work

Your gift helps FAC’s legal work, public education, and outreach.

Donate to FAC

The post Sunday Lookout: Care, Hope and a Way to Help appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Weekly update for October 20, 2026. This is recording number 400

Dear Members and Advocates,

This past Thursday night, one of our county coordinators and I accompanied a reporter from the Miami New Times to one of the homeless encampments in Fort Lauderdale. It was after 10 p.m., well past my usual bedtime. But we had no choice. Under the law, this was when people on the registry were required to be there: between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Ironic. During the day, these individuals are working, spending time with their families, showering, using a bathroom, and in the community, simply going about the ordinary routines most of us take for granted. But for eight hours every night, they are expected to return to street corners, parking lots, and whatever other scraps of space remain available to them. No bed. No bathroom. No shower. No shelter from the elements. Just eight hours of trying to exist without getting arrested.

Close to 11 p.m., we arrived at a parking lot behind a run-down strip mall along Federal Highway. I had driven past this place plenty of times, never thinking twice that it was “home” to nearly 100 registered people forced to live this way. There were no parks, schools, or daycares in sight. But even that observation felt beside the point. It was nearly 11 p.m.! What children would be there or out anywhere? And what exactly was the “public-safety” purpose of requiring people to spend the night in a parking lot?

As we pulled in, we saw a scattering of cars. That wouldn’t ordinarily be unusual in a parking lot, except that every business in the plaza was closed. Look a little closer, though, and you began to notice things: windows cracked open, the faint glow of a cellphone illuminating a face inside a vehicle. These weren’t people waiting for a store to open. These were people at “home.” We approached as gently as possible. We waved or tapped on windows, introduced ourselves, offered an FAC brochure, and explained what we were doing there. The reporter asked questions, and we listened.

Most people were understandably reluctant to engage. Imagine being in their position. You are sleeping in a parking lot because the law has made it impossible to find somewhere else to live. You have every reason to be suspicious of strangers approaching your car after dark. How many people have come out here simply because they wanted to help? But a few people were willing to talk. Once they understood why we were there, some opened up about their lives.

One man had been released from prison just two months earlier. He already had a job, and his family lived nearby. The car we found him in belonged to his sister, who let him borrow it to sleep in. But when she needed to use the car herself, he slept on the sidewalk in front of one of the businesses in the plaza. Every night, he came to the parking lot shortly before 10 p.m. Every morning, he left promptly at 6 a.m. He went to work, then to his sister’s home, where he could spend time with family, eat, clean himself up, and prepare for the next day. He had a job. He had family nearby. He had somewhere he could live—he could have been living with his sister. But for these laws, he would be.

Another man had managed to create a somewhat more comfortable arrangement. We were drawn to his converted camper van by the sound of a generator humming. He was working, running his own business, and clearly making the best of a terrible situation. His brother had helped him purchase the van, giving him at least some protection from the elements and a measure of privacy. He had been living this way for six years! He had originally parked in a nicer lot nearby, but when the property owners put up “No Trespassing” signs, his probation officer told him he had to leave. He moved across the street. Then, after a Local 10 news story about the encampment a couple of months ago, he was told he would be arrested if he returned. So, he moved again.

So far, this lot has largely escaped public attention. But we all know how this works. Eventually, someone will complain, the property owner will put up signs, or something will draw attention to the people living there. Then what? When the reporter asked where he would go if this parking lot also became off-limits, there was no answer. He asked the same of everyone. Nobody knew. What struck me about this man was his attitude. He wasn’t making excuses for his past. He acknowledged that he had done something wrong, served his time, and was trying to move forward. All he cared about was working and providing for the mouths he had to feed. Despite the circumstances, he had to support his family. Six years of living in a van, moving from one parking lot to another, because there is nowhere else he is permitted to go. These laws endure for life.

There were perhaps a dozen people in cars and another dozen without them. We were told that many of those without cars spent the night in the bushes or walking around the tiny perimeter of the area they were permitted to occupy under GPS monitoring, waiting until it was time to settle down. But what about the nearly 100 people registered at this location? The uncomfortable reality is that many were likely somewhere else entirely. People who are not on probation still have to register an address. When the law makes it impossible to register the place where they actually live, they are forced to register somewhere else. And many are understandably unwilling to spend every night outdoors and deprived of basic human dignity. I cannot honestly say that, faced with the same choice, I would do anything differently.

People are being forced to choose between complying with a system that may require them to report an address where they cannot actually live and finding somewhere safe to sleep, even if doing so risks a violation. And that raises a fundamental question: If these laws drive people underground, encourage inaccurate reporting, and make it harder for authorities to know where people actually are, how effective are they as the “monitoring” tool they are supposed to be? What good is a registry that creates incentives for people to hide their actual living arrangements? How does making someone homeless between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. improve public safety? These are the real-world consequences that we’ve witnessed firsthand for decades.

This wasn’t my first visit to one of these encampments. Twenty years ago, I visited the Julia Tuttle Causeway. I’ve also visited the railroad tracks in Hialeah several times. The conditions I saw in Fort Lauderdale were not a surprise. But knowing what to expect didn’t make the experience any easier. That night, as I lay in my own bed, I had trouble sleeping. Part of it was guilt. I was warm, comfortable, and safe, while people I had met just hours earlier were sleeping on cardboard and concrete. They were listening for approaching footsteps, avoiding rain and bugs, or wondering how long they would be allowed to remain in the place they had found. But the other thing keeping me awake was anger. Two decades and we are still here! Everyone knows these conditions exist. Everyone knows the laws create barriers to housing, employment, family stability, and successful reintegration. Everyone knows these laws are ineffective. Yet the problem persists.

There is no shortage of political rhetoric about public safety. There is no shortage of politicians eager to promise that they will be tough on crime. But when it comes to examining whether these laws actually work, whether they make communities safer, or whether they simply impose suffering without achieving their stated goals, there is remarkably little political courage. It is easier to look away. It is easier to pretend these people don’t exist. And it is easier to pass another law than to acknowledge that the laws we already have on the books are doing more harm than good.

Our lawsuit is about more than legal arguments and constitutional principles. It is about the man who should be able to live with his sister. It is about the man who has spent six years in a van while trying to support his family. And it’s about the thousands of others in the same situation across this state who I didn’t meet that night. It’s about all of us who are living under restrictions that deprive us of our families, our freedom, and the basic necessities of life, without any meaningful consideration of whether those restrictions are justified, effective, or constitutional.

The story will appear in the Miami New Times in the next week or so. It might even be the cover story for that edition. We hope that it will bring more awareness to this issue and change public perception. But outrage or sympathy alone won’t change the law. And a front-page story about these conditions, as important and as exciting as that is for our cause, won’t be enough to change these laws. Only a lawsuit will.

FAC took this fight to court because decades of inaction have made it clear that waiting for politicians to do the right thing is not a strategy. We are challenging these laws because everyone in Florida, registrant or not, deserves more than empty promises about public safety. They deserve laws that actually work, that respect the Constitution, and that don’t needlessly break down the lives of people who are trying to rebuild them.

Twenty years ago, I visited the Julia Tuttle Causeway. Last Thursday, I stood in a parking lot in Fort Lauderdale and met people living under the same cruel circumstances. I don’t want to be writing about another encampment years from now. So, let’s make sure we don’t have to. Please support FAC’s lawsuit and help us challenge these laws. We’ve spent two decades witnessing the problem. Now, together, we have a chance to do something about it.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

As of 10/16/2026, we are at 81% of our fundraising goal for this lawsuit! Help get us to the finish line by making a donation here. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to the Florida Action Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) entity) earmarked for this challenge by contacting admin@floridaactionfoundation.org.

SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK

AR: What Do You Think People Are Going to Do With This List?

Nowhere to Go: When the Whole Family Carries the Weight

Good News! A Halloween Sign the Supreme Court Won’t Hear.

COME ON! A Father Takes His Kid to see the Guidance Counselor and This is What Happens?

The post FAC Weekly Update: Twenty Years Later and Still Sleeping on Concrete. Help Us End This appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The bottom line: Safe housing, clear rules and dignity matter at every age. This week’s stories show why families need answers and why we keep asking questions.

Many of our members already live with these fears. Will I become a burden on someone I love? If I have no one, where do I go? Everyone deserves to grow old with dignity, safety and care. Families should not have to carry that weight alone.

Our Part 2 article continues the conversation raised in Oklahoma. Why should Florida families have to keep waiting for that same conversation?

Watch our “Nowhere to Go” Part 1 Short on YouTube. Please like, subscribe and share. One person sharing can help another family feel less alone.

Three stories worth your attention

These summaries provide news and commentary, not individual legal advice. Other states’ decisions and laws do not change Florida requirements.

The post Tuesday’s Media Buzz: The Ripple Continues appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Weekly update for October 13, 2026. This is recording number 398

Dear Members and Advocates,

Let’s start with an update on FAC v. Keefe et al. (formerly FAC v. Glass et al., following former FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass’s departure). As of yesterday, we have received more than 30 motions to dismiss from the various defendants, and that’s pretty much what we expected. We anticipate several more will trickle in before Wednesday of next week, when all defendants are expected to have responded.

That means a very busy month ahead for FAC’s legal team as our attorneys prepare oppositions to these motions. The interesting thing is that many of the motions are duplicative, with multiple defendants raising identical arguments for why they believe our amended complaint should be dismissed. Some have even gone so far as to borrow arguments from other defendants verbatim. Apparently, when it comes to defending Florida’s registry system, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel! Our legal team has been in communication with our attorneys, and the good news is that none of this was unexpected. Our attorneys are prepared to address the arguments, and we remain focused on getting this case through the current phase and moving it forward. This is a significant undertaking, but we knew going in that challenging Florida’s registry system on this scale would be a marathon, not a sprint.

Meanwhile, FAC continues to expand its reach on social media, with our YouTube channel leading the way. We now have more than 1,900 subscribers, thanks in large part to adding several new videos to the channel. The video TARGETED: Florida’s Sex Offender Registry—Rhetoric vs. Reality has already reached 1,169 views as of this writing. If you haven’t watched it yet, take a few minutes to check it out and share it with others. Every view, share, and new subscriber helps us get our message deeper into the broader public conversation. The more people who hear the facts about Florida’s registry system, the harder it becomes to ignore the real-world consequences of these laws.

Our Media Committee has also been on fire lately. In addition to keeping members informed about the latest developments, the committee has been adding content to our website, expanding our outreach, and engaging with reporters covering the issues that matter to our community. That work is especially important because changing public perceptions requires more than simply preaching to the choir. We need to get the facts in front of people who may never have considered the impact these laws have on housing, employment, families, and homelessness.

That brings us to an opportunity coming up this week. FAC members will be accompanying a writer for the Miami New Times on a visit to homeless encampments in Broward County for an upcoming story. This is precisely the kind of opportunity where member participation can make a real difference. Florida is a large state, and its geography presents a challenge. While we have active members in some areas, we have fewer people available to assist in others. When a reporter wants to see firsthand what life looks like for people affected by these restrictions, we want to make sure we have members on the ground who can help provide context and perspective. We don’t want to miss opportunities like this simply because we don’t have resources ready in a particular area willing to step forward.

The bottom line is that FAC’s work depends on more than our attorneys, our board, or our committees. It depends on you. Whether it’s helping with media outreach, sharing our videos, contributing information for our website, or simply being available when an opportunity arises in your community, your involvement matters. We cannot be everywhere at once, but together, we can extend our reach across the state. If you live in an area where FAC could use more active participation, consider getting involved. You don’t need to be an attorney, a writer, or a social media expert to make a difference. Sometimes, simply showing up and helping tell the story is enough.

And finally, a huge pat on the back to the State of Oklahoma, the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL), and the Restorative Action Alliance for an outstanding example of what meaningful advocacy looks like! On October 6, Oklahoma lawmakers brought together an impressive cross-section of stakeholders for a three-hour interim study on the state’s sex offender registry, including reform advocates, researchers, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, corrections officials, defense attorneys, treatment professionals, and survivor advocates. This wasn’t simply advocates speaking to people who already agreed with them; it was an opportunity for people with very different responsibilities and perspectives to sit at the same table and confront the real-world effects of the current system.

The discussion examined how the registry has expanded over time, the consequences of blanket restrictions and lifetime registration, and whether current policies are actually advancing public safety. Perhaps most encouragingly, the discussion included prosecutors and sheriff’s office representatives alongside reform advocates, demonstrating that questioning the effectiveness of the registry need not be a partisan issue or a rejection of public safety. Stakeholders can recognize that sexual harm is serious while still acknowledging that the laws intended to prevent it may need reform. That’s what happens when people are willing to look beyond slogans, listen to evidence, and have an honest conversation about what works and what doesn’t. The video accompanying the article runs approximately three hours, so set aside some time – but it’s well worth watching. It’s a terrific illustration of advocacy in action and a reminder that progress begins when we get all the stakeholders in the room and make the case for change.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

As of 10/14/2026 we are at 79% of our fundraising goal for this lawsuit! Help get us to the finish line by making a donation here: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/donations/. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to the Florida Action Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) entity) earmarked for this challenge by contacting admin@floridaactionfoundation.org

SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK

Florida Online Stings: Child Safety, Decoys and Public Cost

If Other Countries Can Do This, Why Can’t We?

Florida’s Registry Keeps Growing. Public Safety or Overenforcement?

https://floridaactioncommittee.org/understanding-how-floridas-sb-212-registry-rules-impact-daily-life/

The post FAC Weekly Update 10-14-2026—FAC v. Keefe: More Than 30 Motions to Dismiss and Counting appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The post Media Tuesday The Buzz #5: Families, Fresh Perspectives and Reasons for Hope appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).