Parish sued by landlord over sex offender housing ordinance

Nola.com reports, “A landlord in St. Tammany Parish who rented to registered sex offenders is now suing the parish over an ordinance regulating housing that is rented to sex offenders, arguing the regulations violate his constitutional rights. “The ordinance, which the St. Tammany Parish Council adopted in the spring of 2024, defines a property where more than 15% of residents are registered sex offenders

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FAC Weekly Update 2025-02-06-Rentry and the Pathfinder Initiative

Recording# 296 Dear Members and Advocates Our focus this week is on Re-Entry, whether that is welcoming people home after being a guest of the Department of Corrections, or after completing an addiction recovery program.  Re-Entry.  Particularly for those on the Registry, it is about breaking free from the weight of societal labels and building a future filled with purpose, self-worth,

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Troubling bill in Tennessee

A bill has been filed in Tennessee that would require people forced to be on the “sex offender” registry to register any memberships in churches or other religious organizations.  The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would then report this information to the named institutions. So far, nothing has surfaced in Florida this year as concerning as this Tennessee bill, but an

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43 Organizations Reach Agreement on Letter to U.S. Supreme Court

A total of 43 organizations, including ACSOL and NARSOL, have reached an agreement regarding a letter to be sent this week to Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court.  The letter criticizes the court for its decision, Smith v. Doe, that has negatively and significantly impacted the lives of those required to register as well as their families.

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Two bills being introduced in other parts of the country

In Virginia: A person who has been convicted of a felony…upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote.  Currently, in order to be qualified to vote, a person convicted of a felony in Virginia must have his civil rights

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Member Submission:  Denied captain’s license by the U.S. Coast Guard

There is a growing trend of denying or revoking business/employment licenses simply because someone has a past felony of any kind or, in some cases, specifically has a past sex offense.  Such denials and revocations cost the individual their livelihood, possibly making society less safe.  Having a job/income, a place to live, and family/community support all play an important part

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