FAC Requests Map from Union County Sheriff
Below is the body of a letter that was sent to the Union County Sheriff from FAC’s Executive Director. If you live in Union, “travel through” Union or are otherwise impacted by the new ordinance, please let us know.
October 8, 2025
Union County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Brad Whitehead
55 West Main Street
Courthouse Room 102
Lake Butler, FL 32054
RE: ORDINANCE 2025-04
Dear Sheriff Whitehead:
I am the Executive Director of the Florida Action Committee, Inc. (“FAC”). FAC is a 3,000+ member nonprofit organization that focuses on public safety. We advocate for laws based on empirical evidence and best practices. Among our members are people required to register as sexual offenders in the State of Florida.
It was brought to FAC’s attention that Union County recently enacted the above-referenced ordinance. Among other provisions of the ordinance is Section 6, a prohibition against “travelling through nor remaining” within 2500 feet of a school, daycare center, park, playground, or school bus stop, absent 7 circumstances.
The use of the conjunctive “nor” in the language of the ordinance, prohibits even walking or driving through a 2500 foot exclusion zone. The omission of common tasks, such as grocery shopping, visiting family, or getting a haircut, from the list of 7 exclusions, effectively prohibits a resident of Union who is subject to the ordinance from performing these tasks without serpentining around vast, unmarked exclusion zones. It would also prohibit a registrant merely travelling through Union on their way to a neighboring county from driving along SR 121 or SR 16 because of all the schools, daycares, parks, playgrounds, or school bus stops which are located within 2500 feet of those roads.
Because the ordinance subjects the individual to a fine, 60 days in jail and arrest for a violation, it also prevents the individual from ever petitioning for removal under F.S. §943.0435(11). This presents a significant concern to our entire membership.
For that reason, I am writing to request a map of Union County that shows all the locations which a registrant can lawfully “travel through” without violating the ordinance. Due process requires that individuals who are subject to arrest under the ordinance are given notice of where they can and cannot travel through.
As your agency will be charged with enforcement of the ordinance, I trust you have this information and will provide it to us expeditiously. Since the effective date has passed, time is of the essence.
I look forward to your response with the requested information.
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What is the next step if the Sheriff’s office ignores your request? It can and does happen occasionally?
And not trying to put the cart before the horse but just asking what is the next step if they ignore your request and just ghost you?
A public information request was also submitted. You can read it below:
Attn: Kellie Hendricks Rhoades October 9, 2025
Union County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
55 West Main Street, Room 103
Lake Butler, FL 32054
Subject: Public Records Request sent via email: [email protected]
Dear Ms. Rhoades,
This correspondence constitutes a public records request pursuant to chapter 119, section 1 of
the Florida Statutes and the Florida Constitution.
The scope of this request is the following:
All documents relied upon by the Board of County Commissioners that supported the
Board’s findings and intent in enacting Ordinance 2025-04.
All documents from which the Board found “from available evidence that the recidivism
rate for released sexual predators and sexual offenders is alarmingly high.”
All documents or maps assessing the availability of compliant roadways within the
County on which sexual offenders or sexual predators may travel without violating the
ordinance provision they not “travel through” a 2500-foot buffer zone surrounding any
school, daycare center, park, playground or school bus stop.
All documents or maps assessing the availability of compliant public transportation
routes (including the County’s Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan) that avoid
“traveling through” the forementioned exclusion zones.
For purposes of this request, the term “documents” shall be interpreted broadly to include,
but not be limited to, letters, emails, memoranda, correspondence, notes, reports, text
messages, and any other written or recorded communications, whether in physical,
electronic, or digital form. This definition includes drafts, attachments, and any related
materials that reflect, reference, or discuss the subject matter of this request.
Please notify me via email, once you have an estimate of the cost, so that I can arrange for
payment and receipt of the requested records.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
UGHHHH
I hate when politicians or anyone for that matter uses the old adage of, “recidivism
rate for released sexual predators and sexual offenders is alarmingly high.”
If that were true, most of us would be in jail or prison. There are a few that never learn their lesson, but even if someone gets a charge, I often see on FAC that the charge was not even a Re-offense but a forgetting to register an old car on the side of your house or some other thing that no other people in the Universe have to deal with but us registered folks.
Hard to stay out of trouble when you are breaking the law by even driving past a school. Where I live I pass by the school about 6 times a week unless I detour 30 minutes out of my way.
Good point. If the recidivism is as high as they say then there’d be no need for a registry because we’d all be locked up lol
FAC should send a letter to every county in Florida requesting a MAP.
Connie
Time to buy some stamps, there are 67 counties in Florida and the last time I looked, stamps cost as much as a can of cola these days.
Counties and municipalities have their own rules so if a county didn’t pass an ordinance but a city has on you would have to ask the city. And at last count there were roughly 220 cities and/or counties that have municipal laws. But then even if they don’t have their own rules they still have to enforce the state law, so you would actually need nearly 500 stamps, not 67.
In Florida, there is one state statute to check, 67 County ordinances, and 411 City/Town/Village ordinances to check. I describe it like a Chinese menu, where you check the State law, the county law and the city law and pick the worst from each column and that’s what you are required to abide by.
Most municipal ordinances are published on Municode, but many don’t. The code of ordinances are on another service, self-published on their website, or you have to request the ordinance from the Clerk of Courts. I’ve had to chase down all 4 options. Just when I thought a city didn’t have a SORR (because it wasn’t on Municode), I learned it did.
New Ordinances are being added every month. If you check our site, you’ll find Union (last month), Putnam (the month before), Coral Springs (pending) and there are not enough volunteers to track all 500 commissions to check what else is brewing.
If one city or County passes an ordinance, you can count on the neighboring counties passing theirs next. It’s automatic. Been happening for years. So whoever is neighboring Union County; check your commission agendas, because if you don’t have a SORR, you’re about to get one!
Great suggestions. Between printing and postage (even at non-profit) rates, the cost to mail a letter to every County (67) and municipality (411) would be roughly $500. If someone is willing to make a donation to FAC, please note it in the comment below this and we will earmark the funds for this purpose. Otherwise, we have to put that in line behind the Putnam and Union County Lawsuits and supporting Clements and Henry, plus daily operation of the organization.
I’ll half match the amount. $250 for the stamps and letters to be sent out. The 67 counties as well as the approximately 411 individual municipalities codes will prove Clement’s lawsuit that we are subject from freedom of movement. I know that who ever loses the first round will appeal the decision and hopefully by then the $500 will have been raised and the result studied to determine exactly how much of the states are off limits to live in.
If we can get the results in, we can show how the state ask for a 1,000 foot buffer but every county is now going to 2,500 feet. Also the placement of micro parks as well as new regulations of only allowing a certain number of offenders at one residence can prove that we are still under custody of the state for habeas corpus purposes.
If we do send these information inquires out we need to show that these regulations are done with punitive purposes.
Thanks Eugene!
Thanks Eugene,
Anita will be in touch with you to coordinate.
Thats exactly what I’m saying. I wouldn’t be allowed to leave my yard. I live next to sevral schools. I could not leave my home.
????????
I currently dont have any state imposed residency restrictions
I don’t see how they do this. I Thought everyone had a residency restriction. I am glad you don’t currently but here we do another after the fact punishment.
They should also be required to send an updated map every time they change the areas, such as bus stops ( which change constantly). I’m thinking that would be too much of a pain in the butt and they would rethink their actions. However, I don’t think they have an accurate map in the first place
They possibly don’t, but it is needs to be a living map to be currently updated at all times for all to know and see where the exclusion zone is and is not, while also seeing what makes up the zone to know whether the entity is still in place and actively operated (and hours of the day). Holding a license for a place that is not actively operating is against the spirit of the law but a placeholder for punishing the PFR.
Luckily I don’t live in Union County, but do live in Florida. I was grandfathered in where I live once I had to register so I got stay in my home. However, if this law was in my county, the “drive-through” ordinance would technically prevent me from ever leaving my house. Unless going/coming from your house is exempted, as soon as I pulled out of my driveway I could be arrested. How can this possibly be constitutional?
It’s likely not constitutional. Municipalities pass unconstitutional laws all the time. It takes a legal challenge (or some political pressure) to overturn them. It’s what FAC is working on. We just need the resources to bring all the challenges we would like to.
If we get a map from Union County we need to get a map with the residential restrictions from every County. It’s past time to make them put on paper where the zones are. Also If they provide the map we need to push them to MAIL a copy to every registrant in Florida as Citizens forced to register may travel through that County and they would legally have to be informed as to where the zones are.
Should just appeal to Lauren and her dad Ron to make it a state law which the counties must publish the maps and keep them current for all to see where the zones are, what constitutes the zones and if those entities within the zones are actively operating (and what hours). If they can keep the registry live as they do, then they can do the same with the maps.
Well written. Well done