FAC questions Vacation Rental Bill
Florida Bill Targets Sex Offenders Renting Vacation Properties
The Florida Action Committee will be circulating the following letter to all legislators in our State concerning the “Vacation Rental” bill that would impose ridiculous requirements on both registrants and owners of vacation rental properties.
The bill is the result of “knee-jerk” legislation that is proposed without any planning or forethought. In practice, it is impossible to comply with and imposes a significant burden on individuals, with the effect of banning registrants from vacation rentals.
Proposed Law Burdens Vacation Property Owners
Letter To LaRosa re Vacation Rentals 02262018
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Doesn’t this also conflict with another proposal that requires a registrant to register 48 hours prior to arrival? Wouldn’t they have to list that address to pre-register? Didn’t that proposal require notification to all other residences/rentals within 1,000 ft 24 hours before the resident’s arrival?
There is another amendment included in this bill as reported out of the Government Accountability Committee that requires the operator of a public…vacation rental to inquire of the guest if he/she is a sexual predator, and if so, immediately inform all other guests of that fact. Wow! What a concept. My representative is also the Speaker of the House, and my letter to him included these comments:
• The requirement that any operator of a public lodging establishment inquire if a guest is a sexual predator, and, if so, that the operator IMMEDIATELY inform all other guests of that fact. Since the designation “SEXUAL PREDATOR” is prominently displayed on the state-issued driver’s license of FL drivers who are registered, it is likely that Florida residents who are registered will be revealed in this way. Visitors to Florida, and persons NOT on the FDLE Sex Offenders Registry may fail to accurately report their status. Thus, there is jeopardy for both the “operator” who may inadvertently omit revealing an out-of-state predator or an un-convicted predator, as well as for the “predator” and family who may be punished by ostracism and/or banishment.
This amendment was approved late last Friday…and is included in HB773.
Hi Jane,
What argument were you trying to make here? To make sure it is enforced to out of state visitors as well? Im thinking we would want letters against the bill as a whole, and not helping them to amend the bill even further, unless I am missing something here?
Darren,
What I was attempting to point out was this amendment which was approved to be included in the bill, put another but different requirement on sexual predators — to reveal that status on checking into a public vacation rental — and for the operator to notify EVERYONE also staying there that there was a sexual predator in the area. And that the operator as well as the registered citizen could be subject to penalties for failing to follow the law. This is truly a horrible bill, badly written as the FAC writer says.
Maybe we should consider sending letters to the tourism , tour groups and motel and hotel organizations in the state. This is a anti business law, and their businesses would be affected . Would FAC be willing to write letters , and would members be willing to help? Maybe this fight can be won by groups larger and stronger than us.
Can I assume that these same restrictions will apply to drug dealers, armed home invaders, armed car jackers, murderers, human traffickers, etc? Of course I say this ‘tongue in cheek’ knowing very well that these types of offenders are not to be feared when it comes to sex offenders. Hopefully arguing over gun control will keep this ridiculous bill from ever being considered before it’s time for the lawmakers to go home.
Great letter, all the right questions…
Very good letter – however, I doubt it will even be addressed. I know the others voting on it will not see the letter unless it is sent to them directly – show me the names and addresses and I will be happy to do it
Thank you, Karen – we are sending it to every legislator in Florida.
They will CERTAINLY not address it – we rarely get replies, but we usually hear about it through the grapevine when a legislator lets us know “nobody wants to touch it, but they’ve been talking about it”