FAC Weekly Update 2026-08-04- One Week Away!!!

Weekly update for August 4, 2026. This is recording number 384

Dear Members and Advocates,

For years, we’ve said that meaningful change would not come from simply complaining about a broken system. It would need to come from building the right case, assembling the right team, and being prepared to see it through to the very end.

Today, we are approximately one week away from filing what we believe will be the most significant legal challenge ever brought against Florida’s registry laws. This case is unlike any challenge that has come before it, not only in Florida, but anywhere in the country.

First, we have taken a top-down approach to litigation. We recognize that whichever side loses in the trial court will almost certainly appeal. Rather than waiting until later to assemble an appellate team, FAC retained one from the very beginning. We are represented by the law firm of Winston Taylor (formerly Winston & Strawn LLP) a 1,400+ attorney international firm, and our lead counsel is attorney Michael Kimberly, one of the nation’s premier appellate advocates. Michael has argued before the United States Supreme Court ten times and has won in more than two-thirds of the 50+ appeals he has argued. From day one, we’ve built this case with the expectation that it will ultimately be decided at the highest levels of our judicial system.

Second, we are not limiting this lawsuit to suing the State of Florida. While the State’s laws are extraordinarily burdensome, anyone who lives here knows that it is often the maze of county and city ordinances that makes life virtually impossible. A victory against the State alone would still leave countless local restrictions intact. That’s why this lawsuit will challenge not only the State, but dozens of counties and municipalities whose ordinances have created an impossible patchwork of restrictions across Florida. We are taking on the entire system – not just one piece of it.

Third, while we cannot reveal the specific legal claims until the complaint is officially filed, we can tell you this: we’re going all in! It is, in many respects, the culmination of everything we’ve been working toward. The legal theories, the evidence, and the strategy have all been carefully crafted with one objective: to bring meaningful and lasting change.

You may remember that on January 8, 2026, during our first Member Call of the year, we laid out our goals for 2026. The Legal Committee announced plans to bring two municipal challenges—one of which has already been filed, with the second to be filed this month. We also said that if HB 45/SB 212 became law, it would be the straw that broke the camel’s back, and FAC would respond with a comprehensive legal challenge. That promise to you is about to become reality. Next week, you’ll see that FAC has done exactly what we said we would do.

This lawsuit would not be possible without you. Every membership, every volunteer hour, every email sent to legislators, every public records request, every committee meeting, every donation, and every word of encouragement has helped bring us to this moment. This is your lawsuit as much as it is ours. While we are proud of what we’ve accomplished, one area where we still need your help is fundraising. Litigation of this magnitude requires substantial resources, and our General Legal Fund remains critically important. If you are able, please make a contribution to our General Legal Fund to help us carry this fight through.

Finally, don’t forget to join us for our Monthly Member Call this Thursday evening. We’ll provide a legal update, hear from our Legislative Committee as we prepare for the upcoming election season, and from some of our other leaders to discuss opportunities to advance our mission in the months ahead.

The road ahead won’t be easy. But for the first time in a long time, we are not simply reacting to bad laws – we are challenging them with a strategy equal to the task. Thank you for believing in this organization, for standing with one another, and for refusing to give up hope. Together, we’re proving that determined people, working together over time, really can change the course of history.

The next chapter in FAC’s history begins next week.

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

*** Please do not forget to make a donation to the General Legal Fund ***