From a member in Louisiana:
I am a registered citizen in Louisiana. In October of 2019, a district court in Louisiana ruled that the words “Sex Offender” on RSO’s drivers licenses was unconstitutional.
As predicted, that ruling was appealed to the Louisiana Supreme court and the lower court’s ruling was upheld in October of 2020.
Then, the Louisiana AoG filed an emergency stay with the SCOTUS regarding that ruling.
SCOTUS refused the stay.
A few months ago a bill was introduced into the Louisiana legislature attempting to put each SO’s tier level on their license (House Bill 56). Basically, they were attempting to jump through a loophole in the court rulings.
Today, that bill was presented to committee where it was discussed for over 2 hours. When voted on, the bill failed to get out of the committee hearing by a vote of 7 to 6! The bill is now dead!
I am so happy that I can get a normal driver’s license now!
Roger:
I like the idea of registering in multiple states.
This could be a form of peaceful protest and confuse the hell out of the proregistry people.
If I were on the registry, I would travel around the country registering and deregistering in all of the states. I would have every Walmart parking lot listed on the registry.
It is a felony to register a Wal Mart parking lot unless you’re establishing residence there.
I shouldn’t have to point that out, but there you go.
Jacob
Well that is no fun. I was going to register the parking lot of the Sheriff’s office as my temporary residence. Thanks for putting a pin in my plans.
Of course, you could register in multiple states and keep everyone guessing! Where does the general public really find you if registered in six different states? Dual residency? Who has the coolest laws?
Why the hell would one purposely register in multiple states? Where you live will be on the registry.
Because it is legally required and it is not very difficult for LE to find out that you live in multiple states.
I don’t see why people think just the act of Registering multiple residences (or many “internet identifiers”!) would bother LE. Their systems are set up to handle exactly that. And do they really care about doing more paper pushing? A lot of people seem to think that bothers them but I don’t see why. It is safer and easier than real police work. And if they have too much, they just get more taxpayer $$$$$ and hire more people. Big government growing bigger. They love that.
One thing that DOES seem to really bother LE about people living in multiple states is that it makes it difficult for them to know when they can harass you. But if you never allow them to see you or communicate with you then that makes it easiest for everyone.
This is great news, but so upset to hear that other states have either the term “sex offender” or some type of code on stamped on driver’s licenses. I didn’t realize how prevalent this was.
America loves to shame people. I’m sorry to the people forced to register and forced to have their DL’s marked. This has to change!
Where there is no restitution there is no justice.
I always felt the argument that it is okaty to leave some kind of mark on the State ID/DL cards so long as they were less conspicuous was honestly no different in practice.
When Prince changed his name to a symbol, everyone who saw that ridiculous symbol imediately thought of Prince. So how would putting an orange T1, T2, or T3 any different? A mark is a mark is a mark. It isn’t like someone can’t go online and learn where the marks are at.
Derek
Here in Florida, I have a small statue # on the bottom of my ID. I once got pulled over for excessive Speed (When I drive, I drive baby LOL). Anyway, the deputy didn’t even know what the #’s meant until he ran my license. So what is the point of having it at all since they can find out the information when they run you.
Having said that, this is really why I wanted to add my two cents. All it would take is one bored reporter to do a story on those “marks” on our licenses to get every place that takes our licenses to start looking for them. I already had the driver’s license place have an employee yell out “Did you know your license states you are a sex offender”?
Imagine my horror as 200 people in the waiting room looked at me like they wanted to kill me. Think about all the people that look at your license. Every time I see a new doctor they ask for ID. When you write a check, open any new accounts, buy a car, get a loan, buy or sell something at a pawn shop, and the list goes on.
At least mine is only #s, some here have a huge SEXUAL PREDATOR across theirs. Good luck on having any privacy or level of care at a doctors office or other place of business.
JD:
You have a compelling story to show the “effects” of the registry. FAC should document your story because you never know if they may become involved in litigation where your story would be helpful.
Congrats. Though sorry to hear the committee hearing vote was so close.
Excellent!! Congrats, LA person!! Get that regular* human DL! 👍🤗🥳
*That’s right, just a regular, normal human here! 👏👍
Florida should do the same. Also after 10 years the registration should be abolished also. Ths lifetime registration is for the Birds. Since the person’s life has been clean.
That is great news
One word comes to mind: STIGMA
Stigma definition is : A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
This can be compared to the story of the Scarlet letter. However, unlike our circumstances, it is NOT a story by author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Ours is an everyday blight on our lives in the form of the registry, marks on our ID’s and more.
Congrats to them for their win. Like FAC says on occasion, we will take a win, no matter how small or what district its in.
Maybe there’s some hope for us here in Florida as well.
Florida has been in the abnormal mode for so long that I now wonder what is normal for Florida when things are normal.
In Tennessee… they get around this labeling by putting a number in the “conditions” box… supposedly, only law enforcement would know this number… however… it would only be a matter of TIME before everyone would know it…
For the person who pays $50.oo in yearly registry fees…
Tennessee is $150.oo,
Office fee: $12.50 monthly,
Ankle monitor: $50.oo monthly…
$900.oo yearly out of a disabled Veteran’s pocket…
God bless yall…
..
So when can we get normal license?
In my opinion it is high time to fund and then launch this legal challenge in Florida.
This is low hanging fruit that would go a long way towards asserting the privacy rights of citizens forced to register.
The issue is not so clear for the statute printed on the license. For the ones who have “Sexual Predator” it might be.
I have the Sexual Predator designation on my license. It’s very degrading to have to show my license to someone wondering what they will say or think. When it was the statute no one even noticed. I have to pick up FedEx packages pretty often and one of the requirements is to show your license. I’ve to the same store 100 times and I’m sure they have noticed it but credit to them they are very professional.
Having the designation on my license really makes me think about what I want to do or where I want to go based on if I have to show my ID. For example a couple years ago a friend of mine who doesn’t know about my past and I went to a bar arcade(Pac man, Galaga, retro games) and upon arriving we had to show ID to prove we were over 21 even though I’m in my 40’s. Back then I had just the statute on there and didn’t think anything about it. After more people are vaccinated I really want to go back there but I’m very nervous about showing my ID. I feel like they could deny me entry even though everyone there has to be over 21. Thoughts flash threw my mind like how to explain to my friend why they denied me. Then in turn explaining how my crime was from 1998 and I haven’t gotten in trouble since. How I’m still being punished to this day.
This was even a problem when I went to get the covid vaccine. In order to prove your a Florida resident you have to show your ID. I know they wouldn’t have turned me away but I kept on thinking with all the police there supervising it that somehow I would be flagged and harassed for the designation on my ID. I know it’s a stretch but every time I even think I have to show my ID I have this horrible anxiety that something will go wrong.
My son is going through the same thing. When he calls about jobs they talk real nice on the phone .Then when he goes to talk to them in person they look at his license that’s the stopping point.I think the way they do the registry stinks. I pray that soon they will understand that they do their time now let them be free and live a there life.
Finding a job is one of the most difficult things to do. I worked at a Graphics place (screen printing, signs, etc) and fortunately in general I was accepted. I worked there for 7 years and then had to quit to be a stay at home parent. That was 7 years ago. I now just continue working from home making signs, decals, shirts, etc. If you’re son can’t find a job maybe he needs to learn a trade. He can become his own boss and make his own hours. I bought a vinyl cutter and some starter vinyl for around 350 or so. That one vinyl cutter alone has made me well over 20,000 alone in the past 4 years I’ve had it. A roll of 2 foot wide 10 yard long vinyl cost about 35 dollars and if sold correctly can make you around 400 to 500 easy. Finding customers can be a challenge at times but if you can find a good salesperson or a graphic designer that is freelance than you can have a pretty steady flow of business. Every time I walk into a store I’m always trying to sell something to them like new store hours for their front window or a banner to hang outside. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. If your son knows anybody that needs something made I would be happy to pay him a commission for bringing it to me.
Regarding “I think the way they do the registry stinks”, there’s no way to do the registry to make it not stink.
JD
I am so sorry you are going through that. If that is not punishment, then I do not know what is. Being shamed for damn sure punishment. In fact, some countries USE public shaming as part of their punishment.
So here is the breakdown. In Some countries shaming is punishment but in others (USA) it is a small gift to the public from the government? Love how they dance around semantics how they see fit to work in their favor.
How many stories have we seen where the registry caused a person to be killed just for being on it? Yet, it is not punishment? What greater punishment is there but death?
I have sexual predator on my dl. I also have a court order against public and community notification, which this violates. However, as other have said, try getting a job to earn enough to pay a lawyer to fight it. The designation stops you from getting gainful employment. I thought this has been addressed by the federal court in this district (Alabama? ) and found to be a first amendment violation (forced speech). I’ve been waiting for that ruling to come down to the states level.
I’ve also been frustrated with this time barred crap. The state places a limit on the time you have to address a wrong but that wrong is EXACTLY why you are financially unable to fight it. There should be an exception when the wrong is the reason you can’t fight it. This is why the ex post facto 2 case had to be refiled. Those people were unable to fight until the FAC stepped in and now it’s too late for them and we have to find another victim? Could it have been argued that they should’ve been allowed to proceed since it was the entity being sued that prevented the suit from being timely?