FAC Weekly Update 2025-11-18-Where is the Evidence
Weekly update for November 18, 2025. This is recording number 339.
Dear Members and Advocates,
One of my favorite movie quotes comes from the Mel Brooks classic Blazing Saddles: “Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!” — itself a nod to the original line from the 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Over the years, the phrase has come to symbolize a defiant rejection of the need for permission, proof, or authority before taking action. Unfortunately, watching the recent testimony from Rep. Rachel Plakon in support of her bill expanding Florida’s sex-offender residency restrictions, I couldn’t help but feel that same attitude hanging in the air. Replace badges with evidence, and suddenly Tallahassee starts to look a whole lot like the Wild West.
During the hearing, when questioned about the evidence that residency restrictions actually increase homelessness and instability — the very conditions known to elevate risk — the response felt uncomfortably familiar: Evidence?!?! As if the mere suggestion that a policy should be grounded in facts was somehow unreasonable.
Or, after Union County recently passed a new residency restriction ordinance, which boldly declared: “the Board of County Commissioners of Union County finds from available evidence that the recidivism rate for released sexual predators and sexual offenders is alarmingly high”, FAC filed a public information request asking for exactly that: the “available evidence” the Board relied upon when making this “finding”. The response? The only document produced was an email from Commissioner Donna L. Jackson, District 1, who admitted she relied on no evidence at all, beyond simply reading the ordinance itself as part of her meeting agenda. From the other four commissioners? Crickets. No studies. No data. No reports. No expert consultations. Nothing.
Evidence??? We don’t need no stinkin’ evidence!
This cavalier approach to public policy is not only irresponsible — it is dangerous. What if there was evidence that residency restrictions actually don’t work and make children less safe? What if there was evidence that SORRs do increase homelessness and make law enforcement’s job harder? What if this evidence came from The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) – the “research arm of the Florida Legislature”? Or how about a Fla. Dep’t of Law Enforcement survey of probation officers in Florida reporting that officers view residency restrictions as a top obstacle to finding housing for supervised offenders? Would the politicians’ attitude change if we provided them with at least a dozen peer-reviewed studies showing SORRs are ineffective and counter-productive? Apparently not, because we’ve spent weeks showing them the evidence and it doesn’t seem to phase them. They don’t need no stinkin’ evidence!
Well, there’s one place where evidence is still considered, and that’s in a court of law. So over the coming months, FAC is going to spearhead lawsuits to hold our lawmakers accountable. Our first target will be residency restrictions – the very policies being enacted without evidence, without analysis, and without regard for the harm they cause. And to make this possible, we have launched a dedicated legal challenge fund. Funds donated will go towards lawsuits challenging municipal SORRs and, if HB45 becomes law, to the State SORR Statute.
Thanks to a few generous supporters, all donations to our Municipal Ordinance Legal Challenge Fund will be doubled between now and Giving Tuesday (December 2nd). You can take advantage of this matching opportunity by clicking here.
These lawsuits are not symbolic – they are necessary, strategic, evidence-driven tools to stop unlawful and unconstitutional ordinances from spreading. But litigation is expensive, and municipalities are betting that we won’t have the resources to fight them. Let’s prove them wrong. If you have ever wanted to make a difference, if you’ve ever wished there were a way to push back, this is that moment. Every dollar you give becomes two. Every contribution strengthens our ability to bring real accountability to government. Please consider donating today – not tomorrow, not someday – because the sooner we act, the sooner we stop these harmful laws in their tracks.
Thank you, as always, for standing with us, speaking with us, and fighting with us!
Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee
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This is very good and interesting read in the current times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/us/politics/in-matt-gaetz-scandal-circumstances-left-girl-vulnerable-to-exploitation.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20251119&instance_id=166707&nl=from-the-times®i_id=141321492&segment_id=210901&user_id=81aaf2e7250af42d14fdd0aa09146f1c
On another note regarding evidence I found another recent news story where a local middle school teacher is accuse of misconduct of a sexual nature with a student. How did the registry stop this from happening? Again there is no evidence that children are safer because the registry exists. Here is the link to the story. It just came out so there is little info.
Deerlake teacher suspended over allegation of ‘improper conduct’ https://share.google/iOBB2gc7EXF2VMeJy
You know why they dont want to look at research is because the Registry is about protecting anyone. Its about punishment. Life long punishment.
And alot of money the state and local law enforcement get from the federal government
If I could heart this posting, I would many times over. Copy and paste this to every data package sent to every elected and appointed official who touches this topic and needs the facts. This, IMO, should be pinned to the front page for permanent reading by all who come by here. #SPOTON
@TS
Well, the fact is, GOD Himself could come down and stand before some of these “important people”, and they still wouldn’t have a clue about the truth.
How many decades since our crime do we have to suffer until we are deemed safe? I mean, most people who are going to re-offend are not going to wait even a year to pounce on their next victim. We either learned our lesson, moved on, and made amends or we didn’t pay attention that another offense most likely involves a life sentence.