Martin County, FL passes new ordinance to separate sex offenders from others in emergency shelters
At a County Commission meeting held in Martin County, Florida last month, a new ordinance was adopted that separates persons required to register as sexual offenders or predators from others at emergency shelters and allows the sheriff to designate correctional institutions and jails to house them. The new law follows:
Chapter 51, Section 51.13 is hereby created as follows:
Section 51.13, Emergency Shelter designation for sexual predators and sexual
offenders
A. Any person who is required by Florida law, or the law of that person’s place of
residence, to register as a sexual predator or sexual offender and who utilizes or
intends to utilize a temporary emergency shelter provided by any public or private
entity and established as a result of any manmade or natural emergency or
incident, including a threatened emergency or incident shall, immediately upon
entering the temporary emergency shelter:
1. Notify the law enforcement officer(s) on duty or the individual(s) operating the
temporary emergency shelter that he or she is a registered sexual predator or
sexual offender;
2. Provide his or her name and date of birth, along with proof of identification if on
the person, to the law enforcement officer(s) on duty or the individual(s)
operating the temporary emergency shelter; and
3. Complete and sign emergency shelter registration documentation.
B. Law enforcement officer(s) on duty at the temporary emergency shelter, or the
individual(s) operating the temporary emergency shelter may, at any time, assign
the sexual predator or sexual offender to a separate temporary emergency shelter
designated by the sheriff for use by sexual predators and sexual offenders or to a
specific location within the temporary emergency shelter.
C. A sexual predator or sexual offender assigned to a specific location within a
temporary emergency shelter pursuant to subsection (B) shall not enter any other
area of the temporary emergency shelter.
D. A sexual predator or sexual offender shall leave the temporary emergency shelter
when instructed to leave by the law enforcement officer(s) on duty at the temporary
emergency shelter, or when instructed to leave by the individual(s) operating the
temporary emergency shelter.
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Added language is underlined; deleted language is struckthrough
E. The sheriff may designate all or part of one or more public buildings, jails, or other
correctional facilities as temporary emergency shelters to be utilized by sexual
predators and sexual offenders.
F. The law enforcement officer(s) on duty at a temporary emergency shelter, or the
individual(s) operating the temporary emergency shelter, shall place signs at the
entries and exits in use at the temporary emergency shelter and at conspicuous
locations within the temporary emergency shelter to give notice to sexual predators
and sexual offenders of the requirements of subsection (A) of this section.
G. Applicability: The provisions of this article shall apply to the incorporated and
unincorporated areas of Martin County.
H. Penalties: A sexual offender or sexual predator who violates this section, shall be
prosecuted in the same manner as misdemeanors are prosecuted, pursuant to
Section 125.69, Florida Statutes, as may from time to time be amended. Such
violations shall be prosecuted in the name of the state in a court having jurisdiction
of misdemeanors by the prosecuting attorney, and upon conviction shall be
punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail not
to exceed 60 days or by both such fine and imprisonment.
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I can understand the Halloween restrictions. It’s the Christmas no decorating that doesn’t make any sense at all. Thank you, Jerry
HCSO have been to my house twice in 45 days. Now there telling me its a violation to decorate for Halloween. Iv never heard that. I haven’t been on probation for 30 years. I asked him for the statutes be he couldn’t provide them. But assured me he would be back to chek near Halloween. I dont know what to do anymore. Its a crime to just exist as a PFR.
I thought last year (Or maybe the year before) FAC and the supporters got the Halloween ban overturned? Perhaps it was just for one particular county? Be a shame to have to do that individually with all 67 counties in Florida.
For now, be careful as you do not want to get arrested. Hosting Halloween is not worth going to Jail for until the legality gets set in stone. I would go to jail for my family and for my spiritual beliefs, other than that, I am not crossing the invisible line. Awaiting them to say we cannot attend church because there are kids there.
In my county we can decorate as long as your not on probation. Okaloosa county if anyone is wondering.
Hand them a copy of Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource Center at Mitchell Hamline School of law. Published March 2025. 12 pages long. Make multiple copies. Hand out to them and neighbors who are willing to read.
It’s a great piece of law literature.
I feel your frustration. We earned our right to a reformed life many years ago. Some of us were once completely removed from registry many years ago un another state. The LE people are performing a corporate structure of orders for receipt of funds and grants. The rest is their own personal rhetoric that has no place in law enforcement. Threats of returning and abuse of power. Essentially just trashy harassment behavior.
Remember not all humans have cognitive skills. A lot of people still depend on repetition and following orders. Law enforcement people need a paycheck to go to the grocery store and provide for their families.
I pray your anxiety goes down and righteous sanity emerges.
Have a good day.
You didn’t specify who H county.
Hernando County has a Halloween ordinance in Ch. 21, Art. XIV; Ord. No. 2023-03, so if that’s your county, yes there is county ordinance.
Hardee and Hamilton Counties don’t have their ordinances online. I can’t verify they have or don’t have such an ordinance without seeing the ordinances.
Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, and Holmes Counties do not have any Halloween/holiday ordinances barring any very recent passages of such an ordinance. I looked to see if I could find any new ordinances passed since March and found nothing.
stay in my home my son who has a mental disability I will never leave him. Another example of the punishment that is inflicted onto people who served their time. Everyone deserves a second chance.