https://www.wlrn.org/news/2021-02-10/florida-vacation-rentals-fight-revs-up-again

We OK with this?

(h/t: W.A.R. on Twitter)

Unfortunately it seems that the landlords etc. are so frightened by this kind of legislation they rarely revolt. They know that the majority of their patrons are people who believe they needed to be protected from the RSO lurking around the corner. I saw this fear factor first hand when the sheriffs dept (erroneously I might add) threatened my sons landlord with the rental law that exists now (for homes and apartments etc.) – what I saw was a once supportive landlord turn into a non-ally.

EVERY RSO, former RSO, or someone that WOULD BE an RSO by any state they travel to HAS to be aware of the requirements of the state they are traveling to. In Florida and several other states it doesn’t matter if you’ve been released from registry or your past offense doesn’t qualify there but does here is subject to lifetime registration HERE. Or face a felony for failure to register and risk prison time. Stay here 5 nights (soon to be 3) and someone catches wind, you’re screwed.

As with any law, the onus is upon the citizen to know of a law’s existence. We, especially, need to be careful when traveling to other locales so we don’t run afoul of their state and local ordinances. I’ll admit at times I’ve been flippant or careless or not as careful as I should be in this regard and have traveled to other places without looking into registry timelines, proximity ordinances, etc. Fortunately it hasn’t come up as an issue and I’m much more careful now with the proliferation of these feel good laws that vary from one town to the next.

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.

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?

• 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.