FAC Weekly Update 2026-04-28-The Domino Effect

Weekly update for April 28, 2026. This is recording number 367

Dear Members and Advocates,

This past week marked an important step in our ongoing fight against unconstitutional local ordinances: our first “Municipal Challenge” has officially been filed, which is a lawsuit challenging Putnam County’s recently amended residency restriction. This case, which is the first of what will hopefully be several, addresses a growing and deeply troubling trend – counties enacting residency restrictions and exclusion zones that render practically the entire area they cover off limits to people on the registry. These local ordinances often impose sweeping residency bans that make it nearly impossible for individuals on the registry to find compliant housing, forcing instability, displacement, and, in many cases, homelessness.

Putnam County’s ordinance is no exception. What Putnam did was not only create broad buffer zones around landmarks within the County, such as schools and parks, but it created exclusion zones around other registrants! People on the registry can no longer live within 500 feet of another person on the registry. Not only does that effectively shut off the few remaining housing options that are not within 2500 feet of a park, school, day care, playground, etc., but it shuts off the few landlords that were willing to make their transitional homes or trailer parks available for registrants.

The class action lawsuit challenges these restrictions on multiple constitutional grounds, but what makes this one a bit different is that it has as representative plaintiff who is on the registry, and also a non-registrant landlord. Under the ordinance, landlords can be fined, jailed or have their property taken from them just for housing someone on the registry.

This case is about more than just one county. Across Florida, we’ve seen a domino effect. One county passes a restrictive ordinance, and others quickly follow to prevent a perceived influx of registrants. They often copy language only making it even harsher to force people back across the county line, without considering legality or consequences. By taking legal action in Putnam County, persons forced to register in Florida are drawing a line in the sand. A successful outcome here has the potential to do more than invalidate one ordinance, it will send a clear message to counties statewide that these laws will not go unchallenged, and that constitutional protections apply to all people.

We will continue to keep you updated as this case progresses and, as always, thank you to all of you who’s support makes this work possible.

Over the past few weekly updates, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of expanding this conversation beyond our own circle. About breaking out of the echo chamber and raising awareness in the broader community. That starts with a difficult but necessary first step: refusing to hide in silence or shame, and choosing instead to speak, even if only in small ways. We’re not asking anyone to become a public spokesperson or put their face on a billboard. Change doesn’t begin that way; it begins with something far more manageable. A quiet, personal outreach to people who already know you. A friend. A family member. A coworker. Someone who would be willing to listen. We know it’s not easy, we know it might be embarrassing, but change will not come unless we make it happen.

To help make that first step easier, we’ve prepared a sample email (below this update) you can send to people in your life. By letting them know that a family they care about is directly impacted by these laws, you put a human face on an issue that is too often reduced to fear and misinformation. It’s much harder to dismiss, distort, or dehumanize when the reality is sitting in your inbox, connected to someone you know. If you share it with 10 people, and each of them share it with 10 people, and some share it with their religious congregations or social clubs, we’re no longer preaching to the choir, but opening up a dialogue that needs to take place.

This month, we’ve reflected on the familiar warning: when people stay silent as others are targeted, eventually there is no one left to speak. And right now, today is the time to take that first step and speak. Please consider sharing the message.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

SAMPLE EMAIL TO SEND TO PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE – Start the dialogue with them.

I’m reaching out about something personal that affects our family in a very real way. As you may or may not know, our family has been touched by the sex offender registry. It’s something we’ve had to navigate quietly and with much shame, but its impact is constant and has come to the point where we need to reach out for support. The laws have become so harsh that it impacts where our family can live, work, and simply exist as part of a community.

Over time, we’ve come to see that many of these laws are overly broad and don’t always reflect individual circumstances or actual risk. Instead, they often create barriers that make stability, rehabilitation, and family life much, much harder, without improving public safety at all.

We’ve been working to challenge laws that are ineffective and unnecessarily harsh, and to advocate for policies that are more thoughtful, evidence-based, and humane. I’m not asking you to take a position overnight, but I am humbly asking you to learn more, keep an open mind, and, if you feel comfortable, support us in our efforts to seek meaningful change. Even small gestures like reading, sharing, or having a conversation about this topic , can make a difference.

If you’d like to learn more, I’d be happy to talk with you or you can read more about an organization we are involved with, The Florida Action Committee (floridaactioncommittee.org).

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It truly means a lot to our family.