Florida bill would effectively ban sex offenders from vacation rentals.
Florida Bill Tries to Ban Sex Offenders from Vacation Rentals
A new bill concerning vacation rentals, HB 773, sponsored by Rep. Mike La Rosa, R-St. Cloud, is making its way through the Florida House of Representatives. (https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=768073.docx&DocumentType=Amendments&BillNumber=0773&Session=2018)
The bill, among other things, would require vacation rental owners to give 24-hour notice to residents who live within 1,000 feet of the properties that sex offenders will be staying at the rentals.
While it does not expressly ban sex offenders from vacation rentals in Florida, its effect would be that it would require vacation rental owners to inquire whether a prospective renter was a sex offender and then they literally have to notify every neighbor within a 1000 foot radius of their presence! Who would rent to a sex offender under those conditions?
AirBnB offenses committed by individuals not on registry
As with most of these bills, there’s not been a swath of “issues” with sex offenders swarming on vacation rentals and the only reported instances of sexual assault relating to AirBnB or similar programs have been from people not on the registry.
Not sure what the purpose of this ill-informed legislator’s bill is, aside from another piece of “feel good” toilet paper that will give the public a false sense of security.
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I thought that the bill passed, unanimously, but Lauren Book pulled it because some of her father’s clients, objected to it? It would have somehow cost them financially.
This bill is long dead.
Not sure why it’s still being discussed.
Florida is ridiculous. I can figure out how they can increase someone’s sentence after it’s already been handled.
It’s like serving your time and then someone knocking on your door years later to tell you that because of a law change, you have to go back and do more time.
All of these rules to keep more and more people out, to keep them down so they can’t climb life’s ladder to the top. Most of these “sex offenders” were just 18 and 19 year old boys with girlfriends who were probably 15 16 17… now he looks like a child molester his whole life…it’s bullshit and very one sided.
For 1 you’re not a psychiatrist child molestation is a scientific term or a diagnosis only doctors can say that now if you get your mother degree they can diagnose someone until then it’s against the law to play doctor
The only thing greater than the Books’ fear and hate of SOs is their GREED.
AIRBNB bans most FELONS now.
I have been an AIRBNB member that lives in New Jersey for over a year. I have already rented twice from them with zero issues in other states. The beginning of Aug I rented a beach-side condo for my family that was driving from Kansas to New Jersey. AIRBNB quickly took my money, the host sent me a contract & I had a confirmed reservation. The day before at 630am I get a email from AIRBNB stating they needed to confirm my identity. They already had my FB information, DOB, Phone# and personal email & address & Credit info. Email sent to me – I have to confirm ID, before my next reservation which was the next day and if I do not they will cancel my reservation. I complied & waited. At 10:26am they email me the following -We regret to inform you that, we made a determination to permanently deactivate your account. The following information was found in a consumer report-Criminal Records Match. Yes I had a conviction in 1998, & listed as a sex offender. Now I find out they banned my wife too since she lives at same address. She will pick any property from any state. She will hit the request booking and then gets an error message. She calls tech support and get the same old story that they will email her with steps to take to correct. Nothing in a week now. Here is AIRBNB response they sent me –
What are the crimes for which you remove users from the platform?
Users with serious criminal histories may be removed or referred for further review if our checks show convictions within a certain time period.
Less serious convictions will never result in removal (such as disorderly conduct or marijuana possession).
Some other crimes may result in removal for a period of 14 years (such as felony burglary or felony larceny) or seven years (such as fraud or property damage) from the date of conviction.
Severe crimes may result in removal for a longer period of time or even permanently (such as murder, terrorism, rape or child molestation).
Wow, this is horrible (thx mr obvious right?)
i’m out of state but follow Florida’s movement both in compassion for how much it sucks there in this regard, and selfishly as i’ve had work conferences and vacationing desire there. took my familiy and stayed at a VRBO in florida a year ago, and have always wanted to return. what a depressing turn of events that ‘of course’ FL would come up with legislation to expand punishment (indefinite punishment by the way) under a guise of ‘non-punitive’ notification, and screw over yet another part of lives even for non-floridians.
We need to stand up and speak our minds and common sense. Most Floridians in high government are more corrupt and dangeruous then 95% of rso. I honestly belive there are a good amount of average Florida citizens that have enough common sense that would agree that the laws for sex offenders has gone overboard .We need to swallow our shame and stand up to these bullies!!! It’s mind-boggling how this can happen in the country like ours. Regardless of what you were accused of , we all make mistakes and what’s right is right and to treat citizens The way the state of Florida does is a true embarrassment and should be illegal . We all need to stand up for reform reform reform !!!! And to all the local governments that make it even more complicated, I hope they all end up in jail themselves. It’s curroption in one way or another. What’s the Best way for government to hear our loud voices in 2018?!?!?? Reform reform reform… let’s all organize and be smart so the ones of us that can vote, vote for the right candidate come November elections…who’s the best candidate for us in 2018???? Lets kick the other B****** out of government!!!!! I can vote !!!!
When will Florida’s legislators pass this into law? It seems a foregone conclusion that it will be passed. I’m asking as someone who lives in Michigan and visits Florida once a year. What is the time frame for a vote and does it go into effect immediately?
Josh, why do you say it seems it is a foregone conclusion that it will be passed? There are only 2 weeks in legislative session and it’s not close to the finish line.
Sorry for the pessimistic assumption! Common sense rarely prevails in these pieces of legislation….my family enjoys our yearly trip to your beautiful state..just frustrated that it may be taken away…
@fac
Where does this currently stand? I thought I saw a post saying that someone had effectively killed or de-railed this bill…if this is still alive and a possibility…then this is just as bad as the 3 day bill and will effectively finish off out of state registrants visiting Florida completely
It died – did not pass.
Oh! Been worrying about that. Odd i missed it! Good news
It seems that this bill died and didn’t pass, but it got me thinking. Therefore, have a couple of questions regarding vacation rentals at the beach:
Say you want to take a vacation…
If you are no longer on probation and you stay within the rules of temporary residence regarding the number of days, are you still restricted to finding something that is greater than 1000 feet from a restricted area? (park, school, daycare, etc). Most of the vacation rentals I have researched have a community pool and at least on the East Coast, the straight line is usually within 1000 feet of the borders of the entrance to a park and the border of the parking lot, but the door to the specific unit is greater than 1000 feet. I don’t know if that makes sense or not?
Also, would you be under any specific ordinances that county enacted into law, or would it be safe to assume that if you follow the temporary residence rule, you do not need to register since you are just on vacation from the county of your permanent residence. This is all within travel of the State of FL.
Why does the state of FL keep beating around the bush with their SO laws? Why don’t they just go ahead and pass a law that kicks all persons convicted of a sex crime out of the state? Just stand up, be men, and say it—GET OUT of FLORIDA!!! They should stop torturing these people with the nickle and dime legislation—can’t do this, can’t do that, can’t live here, can’t live there—and just put them all out. Either one or two reasons: 1) the state doesn’t have the balls to do so, or 2) the state needs these people so they can have them to torture, like the old Kings of mid evil Europe that kept their enemies chained to the wall in the castle’s dungeon until their flesh rotten off. I think these people, i.e., state legislators, are just that evil, just that sadistic.
I took the “hint” and left the state in 2005 and although I have NOT stepped foot in the state…nor will I ever return for any reason, I am still listed on the Florida website!
Why, easy, doing so keeps the numbers of “sex offenders” that Florida can claim to have artificially inflated to give the “fear factor” more punch when they quote the “number of sex offenders listed on the Florida registry”!
Guess what…it’s just to scare parents…keep state funding high…and give the appearance that there are so many more than there really are.
If you are out of the state of Florida yet still listed then do not wait…Join the class action suit by contacting lawyer Ron Kliener (954) 540-0170 and make a donation to the planned legal action to get off of the Florida registry!
Force the state to make the changes. This will help ALL those registered in Florida as it was be a major blow to the credibility and usefulness of the registry and clearly illustrate that it is a useless waste of public funds and frankly just government and law enforcement propaganda and nothing more!
SexOffenderTruth.com
if a hurricane or another disaster happens or your house catches fire and you are prohibited from shelters, you will have to find a hotel that will accept you then you must notify LEO then i guess you must stay in your vehicle for 48 hours not to violate the law and what if it’s a weekend or 3 day weekend with a holiday you would be waiting 5-6 days to be legal with notice required
Well now you cant stay in a hotel if they get what they want! What about our families?????