FAC members recently participated in the Duval County Delegation meeting on Friday, November 15, the first such delegation meeting this year where we had members speaking on behalf of persons forced to register and their family members.
For our first two speakers, the leadership of the delegation showed by their actions that they were totally disinterested in what our speakers had to say. One legislator let it be known to three FAC members last January in her Tallahassee office that she had absolutely no sympathy for anyone who had committed a sex offense. She said that it was part of the sentence, and people should have known that it was a consequence that comes with committing such a crime.
After the first two speakers finished, something changed when the third speaker, fourth speaker, and fifth speaker went to the podium. Everyone of the legislators present gave our speakers their undivided attention, seemingly captivated by what was being said. When I looked up from my speech, it was with surprise that I saw seven legislators with their eyes glued to me, even the eyes of the legislator that told me registrants deserve to be on the registry for life.
Something happened between the second speaker and the third speaker, exactly what we hoped would happen. Never had so many people spoken at their delegation meetings on the punitive nature of the registry. The legislators could no longer ignore a couple of people speaking on the topic as person after person kept coming to the podium.
We continue to push forward with this momentum in other counties.
There is power in numbers—numbers that our legislators have not seen before.
If you would like to read one of our prepared speeches in your county or any other county, please let us know at [email protected] or call 833-273-7325.
I finally gave up waiting for year after year of lawsuit delays and stays of the Washington courts from FAC lawsuits who will never make substantial changes until the political climate changes in Florida.
The continued adding of restrictions post sentencing is worse that being on probation by far now. I can’t even count the number of rules and regulations up to date on the register form and some even not on the form, such as parks, and local restrictions.
I have moved to WA state and registered there. I never have to do any “in person” notifications or registrations again! The officer will come to my residence ONCE a year and do a home check. That is the entirety of my responsibilies. And if I am not home will leave a note to call so I will be home for the next check in.
No email (I have a facebook account now! with my new email), or social media identifiers, no license branding, no work or residency restrictions, no US travel reporting, no longer how long you visit, no local area presence restrictions like Brevard and Miami, just a one time in person register and nothing more. I am not listed on the WA state registry as a cat 1 offender and no one knows I am a PFR and live freely among the population.
I waited 12 years for changes to take place in FL and they only will keep getting worse each year. Yes, one small victory now and then and then 4 or 5 more restrictions added in retaliation of it. Not worth it. MOVE AWAY no matter the cost. Your life is worth it!
Jed
I am so happy for you. Just sad that Florida cannot give the long timers a break as well as those like myself who were “Pre” registry. Florida retroactively went back all the way to the time of Christ and will probably dig people up and make them register.
(F.A.C, yes, it is sarcasm) but it feels that way, and Florida did retroactively apply the registry to those like myself, whose crime were almost a decade before any registry existed.
Change change change. Short of running into the woods and never coming back we are faced with a history lesson in human nature and behavior. The registry is an attempt to change the nature of people. So far we are the test subjects in the minds of many. We need a face to promote and abolish the registry. Someone that can change all this. Bring in donations and hire the best lawyers. I admire your honesty. It brings light to the plight.
WAIT, what?
“She said that it was part of the sentence, and people should have known that it was a consequence that comes with committing such a crime.”
I am sorry (Not sorry) but the registry was NOT part of my sentencing. If it had even existed then (it did not) I would not have pled guilty. The registry could not have been part of my sentence because it did not exist when my offense happen, nor when I was arrested, nor when I was sentenced, in fact not until the week I was released from prison.
I also committed my offense before the Florida sex offender registry existed, although by the time I pled guilty in 1999, the early version (“registry lite”) had already gone into effect. However, the understanding at that time was that I would only have to register for 10 years. Then when I was on probation it became 20. And then 25.
Under Federal SORNA, the 25 years of my “independent federal duty to register” have now expired, but I will have to wait 6 more years before going to court for my chance at the 20-year removal (assuming that in the year 2030 they will still be honoring the 20-year mark for those of us grandfathered in). Every year the allure of fleeing to a “free” state, where I would either not have to register or would have a defined registration period with a certain end date, grows stronger. I will try to tough it out until I get my chance for removal in 2030, but I’m not sure I will be able to endure that long. I will try, though.
@RM
And even then, it is not automatic, the judge still has the final say. You cannot have any registry violations, so to not mess up, whenever I leave the house, I wrap myself in bubble wrap. Yes, that is sarcasm, but the officials make it to the point that they want us to live in fear of leaving the house.
Maryland Supreme Court eliminated registration for those whose ‘crimes’ were committed before October 1995, if that applies to you. Mine was, and I’m considering the move myself.
RM
The new rule that is going to be in effect is if you go to a registry removal hearing, now an FDLE agent will be present to justify not being removed. Not sure if they would get tired of sending an agent in person and do it by zoom or just a letter from FDLE stating their opposition but just one more obstacle to being removed. (Florida)
yes and just before that it was briefly 5 years! been saying that for years here and no one believes it was first 5 then 10 years
You all are doing an awesome job. I think it is a great idea to offer to prepare speeches for people (and/or prepared speeches for anyone). I think a lot of people are intimidated by wanting to create a coherent, concise speech, but they are fully capable of expressing themselves if someone helps prepare them. All a person must do is read.
Look, today, I don’t think there are actually ANY informed, intelligent, moral people who think Registries should exist. I really don’t. If someone does, they are defective in one or more of those ways. A lot of people, like the a**hole legislator you mentioned, are defective people in those ways and likely piles and piles of other ways. Those a**holes, all Registry A**holes/Supporters/Terrorists (RASTs), should be named, labelled, shamed, and called exactly what they are. Spotlights need to be on them always. Put light on the cockroaches. They need to be sent back under their rocks.
I know for a fact that most RASTs love Registries because they harass families and cause them problems. That is the appeal. They’ll lie every day that Registries are for “public safety” or “protecting children”. Nothing but lies.
RASTs want all this nonsense to exist for harassment. They want that but they don’t want to have to pay any price or consequences for it. That is the part that can’t stand. Personally, I don’t think the Registries will be destroyed in my lifetime. So I’m going to ensure that they only exist at the highest possible cost – in terms of peace, goodwill, time, money, and many other limited resources I can name.
So it would be great if people read speeches at every single legislative event. All the government employees where I live know that if they see me they are going to hear negative things about Registries. Every time. No peace.
America cannot be united as long as Registries exist. It isn’t possible. I have no intention of uniting with terrorists.
So Offense commited before October 1995 or sentence completed. Mine was before that as well but not adjudicated until March of 1996. But it all started in 1995. Just took them a year to wear me down.
@TearfulEagle, I’m assuming you’re responding to my message further up the page. My understanding, confirmed by a Maryland SO lawyer, is that if the offense was COMMITTED before October 1995, regardless of when you were charged, sentenced, etc., you are exempt from the registry, as the registry didn’t exist before then. It’s great to see there are some judges who believe that registration should not be retroactive. The bummer is that courts sometimes change their minds at a later date. So, this ruling might not stand in the future. You should call or email a couple of Maryland lawyers to confirm. Also, hopefully you’re no longer subject to federal registration law, but neither I nor the silly feds are sure about that yet, since you’ll still remain on Floriduh’s registry.
I was and that is great to know. I would we even know if we are off the Fed’s hitlist?
Yeah. The only way that I query whether I’m on the Fed-level list is by searching on the national registry (www.nsopw dot gov). They pathetically count on the states to support their list, even though the states don’t follow the same rules for duration of registration. I fully expect that my national registry requirement should be no more than 25 years, tops. I’ve done that already, but can’t necessarily prove it to them if they prosecute me, especially if the state of Floriduh doesn’t back me up. I only have paper registration receipts since Floriduh started issuing them. To satisfy the national duration (25 year) requirement, I count ALL the years I’ve been registering, not just the ones after my state sanctions ended (like Floriduh does). Contact Maryland attorneys first if you want to go.
I dont think I’ve read anything as encouraging as this on the FAC site in a very long time. This is phenominal news.