According to NPR affiliate WGCU, Florida Senator Lauren Book is trying to create a “look back window” where victims of sexual battery can bring a civil lawsuit, where previously barred by statute of limitations. This window would allow victims to file civil suits against their alleged offenders and would likely open up a flurry of lawsuits. That would be on the civil side, but changes are in the works for criminal prosecution as well.
Senate Bill 170 and its House counterpart HB 199 would eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual battery against a minor. Otherwise, a prosecution for a felony of the first degree must be commenced within 4 years after it is committed and a prosecution for any other felony must be commenced within 3 years after it is committed. Yesterday, HB 199 unanimously passed the Criminal Justice Subcommittee,
Senator Book plans to expand on eliminating the statute of limitations for other types of sex offenses, including performing lewd acts in front of minors and indecent exposure.
not to be vindictive but she best hope Papa book dont have any skeletons in his closet cause the next bill from her will be to #abolish the reg
Ron Book’s skeletons are public, yet his public credibility remains intact.
At this point, I don’t know what it would take for elected officials to take him less seriously.
Well it’s good to see Little Book is worried about cats being declawed see SB48.. Does this woman actually do any work that means anything or has value? That isnt some dog and pony show.
Politicians have to do something to try to fool the public into believing they are doing something. When it’s time to run for office again they will reference all the bills that they introduced as proof of ‘value’. It doesn’t matter that the bills are worthless efforts and do nothing for the citizens. Anywhere you find politicians you will find a swamp. We need to find those politicians who recognize this and give them the support they need. Some actually go into politics with good intentions.
If someone can’t come forward with a “valid” battery accusation within 4 years then I cannot see how it could be considered truthful. Let’s have Aunt Mary question her children about how little Susie went with Uncle Bill and her cousins on that camping trip in 2006. Maybe Uncle Bill helped Susie change her clothes and now Susie is being “groomed” to tell a story about how her Uncle touched her Private parts. It wouldn’t take much would it? This is what Lauren Book wants to see. I can see the smile on her face now!
WC-TN
The Books are so full of hate and greed all the fact in the world wouldn’t change them. It’s like in school someone writes a bad word on the teachers note book . So she punishes the whole class so she can be sure she gets the one who did it. Is that the way a justice system is supposed to work?
They care nothing about constitutional rights or justice.
In regards to this, I have a question for the group to see if they have any idea how this would work. When I was sentenced, it was specifically written that any civil damages (if any) would be determined within 60 days of conviction. No one ever came forward and gave anything to the court. I wonder how this would fit into this “look-back” attempt.
Well they can sue me all they want. I was convicted in 98 and spent three years and paid 5 grand in fines. Which really was for the so called counseling my victim had to take. If they do the look back they will see I was flat broke after spending thousands on my defense lawyer. Are you telling me now this new law will allow the victim to civil sue post conviction? This is nothing more than a cash grab by some rotten lawyers. I guarantee alot of lawyers will go thru every sex conviction in Florida. They will then check to see if the convicted now have money and then try and locate the victim to tell them they can now sue us. It just does not stop and the only winners are the corrupt politicians and lawyers.
Speaking of Senator Book, I just read in the Jacksonville news that a senator (Pizzo) has introduced a bill to exempt people on clothing-optional beaches from being prosecuted under a law that prohibits people from exposing their genitals in public. Could this some day lead to removing those convicted of indecent exposure from having to be on the registry?
I never cease to be amazed at the depth to which our legislators will sink. One action is a crime, change the name, and it becomes legal. The ‘angel of light’ is at work overtime.
All the laws that they’re coming up with that can get people put on the sex offense registry have NOTHING to do with what happened to Megan Kanka or Jason Wetterling which brought about the registry to begin with. And this NEEDS to be addressed in front of the legislature.
Ummmmm, they don’t care.
They also don’t care that their “laws” will never protect anyone and in fact, have already gotten innocent children murdered. They don’t care.
They care about getting their jollies. That’s as far as it goes.
Perhaps they’ll amend the beach bill to specify who may and who may not do so.
When the line for the changing room was long and we were preparing to go white water rafting in WI, my 26 year-old friend pulled out her “Adult Entertainment permit” and justified changing into her bikini outdoors. Although the permit was only valid for the Cheetah club in San Diego, CA, it seemed none of the guys in northern WI objected. Now, if it were some 50 year old overweight dude who tried changing outdoors, perhaps some dude would have called the cops and he would have gone to prison and had to register as a sex offender. Ironically, if he changed indoors in the common dressing room in front of the same number of people, no one would object. Then there is the case of the Progressive Magazine’s 100th anniversary concert. Since the concert was all made up of bands favored by lesbian attendees, and I was driving my lesbian friend to see Ani DiFranco, The Indigo Girls, and other lesbian favorites, women were told they could use the men’s room. I choose to use a stall to pee in for privacy. I noted a woman standing outside the door for several minutes watching the men use the urinals. On the one hand, the men using urinals in a coed bathroom can’t expect complete privacy, they should be awarded the same consideration not to be stared at as they would if it were just men in there. Imagine what would have happened if it were a man staring at women using the toilet!
Good example of just what depravity and confusion our society has sunk into. One can be sure it will only get worse until one day it will come to an end and all will be held accountable. There will be much repentance but it will be too late.
Will Allen
Sorry to inform you but I have personal experience that absolutely no evidence needs to be presented for a conviction. All you need is for The accuser to be believed by a judge. Even if there are different supposed witnesses with differing stories. The judge can pick out the one he wants to believe. Laws are written for the benefit of the prosecution not the accused or even for justice. Of coarse the more money you have the better chances of a fair trial.
From my experience too (Florida) you are exactly right. The only “evidence” was what someone said….no real proof, evidence, nothing. I have also heard from others that the person accusing them “had done this before to someone” and there was proof of that but the judge did not allow it. Unbelievable but let’s face it, people are people. Too many people are just out for themselves…they will use the “system”. Lie, cheat, steal…..vindictive…..and still feel they are “helping” society when they know full well they destroyed a life and lied to do it. I “trust” very very few people and prefer to keep to myself…..afraid if I am outside my home too much I might offend someone for breathing….
“… a prosecution for a felony of the first degree must be commenced within 4 years after it is committed and a prosecution for any other felony must be commenced within 3 years after it is committed.”
Where is this in the statutes? When exactly does a prosecution commence; e.g., at arrest, at trial, earlier? If the above time limitations are true, something really stinks (even worse than I already thought) about my public pretender.
Correction well taken. Let’s call it what it is prostitution. That is what the Bible calls it Revelation Chapter 18. So Lauren Book and all her cronies are prostitutes according to the Bible’s definition. So who are the real sex offenders here?
Meanwhile, see this:
https://www.wesh.com/article/agents-educate-seminole-county-parents-on-sextortion/30557032
Can’t comment on the site itself otherwise I’d have commented that it’s truly sad when parents have to be TAUGHT how to be parents. Anyone with teenage kids was still young enough to watch the internet grow into what it is now. But they need to be taught as if they’re all stupid but the FBI agent who is also a parent is somehow not stupid. Ok!
And now they come up with a new term; “sextortion”. Is that really necessary? Extortion is extortion no matter what it involves. “Sextortion” indeed. Man, the fear mongering is unfathomable in this country.
Sounds to me like lawyers are padding her bank account, that’s where I would investigate. This would be a wind fall for them. Politicians need to take off there blinders and so they can see the real world. There living in fantasy land.
Sorry David, but most of the politicians are in on the scheme. Many are lawyers themselves and are just preparing the business for when they leave “service to the people”.
Case in point, commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who is now a lobbyist. https://www.floridabulldog.org/2020/01/lobbyist-marc-sarnoff-brings-big-pac-money-miami-city-hall/
A large number of lawmakers are attorneys. They know exactly what they are doing.
That’s why our government has been able to almost completely insulate itself from public accountability. We put lawyers at the helm and now are laws are so subverted that only the lawyers who passed said laws benefit from it.
Another pet peeve of mine: THE LAWS SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN PLAIN AND UNAMBIGUOUS TERMS SO THAT ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO HAVE A LAW DEGREE TO KNOW WHEN ANY GIVEN LAW DOES OR DOES NOT APPLY OR WHEN ONE LAW CAN BE SUPERSEDED BY ANOTHER.
Someone can concoct some story…charge…for an incident that happened 40-50 years ago and the one charged is supposed to defend him or herself? How can that even be possible? Come on now!
Good morning, Skipper. Do you ever listen to “Registry Matters”? Larry Neely has repeatedly hammered on the point that it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ACCUSED to have any semblance of a fair trial when incidents that happened 10, 20, 30, 40, 50+ years ago are prosecuted that many years after the fact. Evidence disappears. Memories of specific details fail. Witnesses die or are otherwise unavailable.
I’m sorry, but someone getting away with a crime of this nature is the price to be paid for having a fair and just legal system. I doubt the public would REALLY WANT this kind of kangaroo court if they truly understood how easily the idea the so rabidly support today could be the one that brings them to their demise further down the road. People want “justice” in direct proportion to what they think THEIR ODDS ARE of ending up on the receiving end of it all.
I guess Ms. Book didn’t stop to think about the idea that her precious family is not immune to this idea of “no evidence needed”. So imagine if someone says that Ron Book touched them inappropriately while in his typical drunken state. Then what?
A great bill would be for the victims of sex sting operations to be able to bring law suits for being victimized by the system.
Isn’t she about victims’ rights?
Someone needs to tell this woman to her face that not all sex offenses are the same thing that happened to her. She also needs to learn that being a VICTOR is so much better than going through life being a VICTIM.
And tell her that her daddy is a repeat drunk driving offender.
Derek Logue pinned Lauren down on that subject at a public forum. He asked her point-blank: “How can you be against second chances when your own father is a DUI/DWI offender himself?” She totally dismissed the question and did not answer. Her response was to try to get a bogus restraining order against him. The Books resent it when you publicly paint them into an inescapable corner with FACTS.
Ron book was forced to admit that the registry would have done NOTHING to protect Lauren from the abuse she suffered at the hands of HER LIVE-IN NANNY.
So a statue of limitations has no meaning if they can just do a “look back” window in the future. Such B.S.
Point of clarification. This bill is not new, it was filed in August. I see no language in this bill or HB 199 concerning civil lawsuits. Both are criminal bills, thus there will be prosecutions, not lawsuits.
As far as:
“Senator Book plans to expand on eliminating the statute of limitations for other types of sex offenses, including performing lewd acts in front of minors and indecent exposure.”
She has filed no new bills addressing these expansions.
Read the article cited
I did. Read the bills.
It looks like Florida/ Lauren didn’t get the memo on criminal justice reform. It seems they’re going the opposite way. I’d like to point out the obvious, a conflict of interest. Having a person directly connected with color emotions helping to make the laws on the same subject that weighs upon her shoulders.
Let’s stop being reactive. We/ and our system always playing from behind, putting out fires after they’re out of control. Reform would Be thinking ahead, playing the long game.
Don’t give up Florida! I’m routing for you guys here in Iowa.
Nate, you’re right! We need to be playing Bobby Fisher-level Chess while the rest of the world is playing checkers.
I have never believed in any so called statue of limitations for a capital violent sexual crime such as rape and molestation of a child. Victims of such crimes should have the opportunity to confront their offenders in a court of law until due justice is done. However the ones left out are the non violent sex offenders whom have long since paid dearly for their crimes. A tiered bill that separates violent predators from non violent sexual acts makes more sense.
JEV – True Confessions
I don’t see a huge need for statute of limitations either. But, there has to be some actual evidence even to arrest someone. It can never, no matter the time-frame, be just because of someone’s word. There has to be evidence. And in order to convict, it has to be proven. That would be easiest soon after a crime, harder 5 years later, and much, much harder, probably impossible, 50 years later.
But regarding “tiers”? That’s nonsense. Tiers is just more pretending that Registries are useful, moral, or acceptable. They aren’t.
Wage war on Registry Nazis. I deliver consequences to them every day and I encourage everyone else to do the same.
Does FAC take a position on this?
I am trying to resist the temptation to reflexively oppose anything sponsored by Lauren Book.
If these changes are evidence-based then so be it.
I assume the existing statute of limitations, three years, is too short and should be revisited.
Senator Book is ‘eaten up’ with hate. She is absolutely of no value as a servant of the people.
Lauren Book needs to “look back” at why she was violated and sue her father and mother then send them to prison for not watching out for her.
Oh, how I have been tempted so many times to say exactly that! THANK YOU!!!
The Books were so engrossed in their political careers and self-enrichment that they couldn’t and wouldn’t be saddled with raising a child, so they hired a nanny who turned out to be a female child molester. I think Ron knows this and hates himself as much, if not more than, he hates every other registrant in the state. I think it’s more comfortable for him to lash out at all the registrants than face his own selfish choices.
Lauren is in the perpetual victim mindset. She is so full of rage, anger, and hate that it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to even want to be subjective relative to this topic. She is totally unfit for public service of any kind and her alcoholic father is unfit to be in the position he’s in.
It never fails for them to find new ways to either punish sex offenders, or turn people into one.
She only has SO bills no other things for FL. They just use the liar to fear public and act like they doing something. Pass bill for register DUIs oh oops can’t her daddy be on that lol! I believe that all the registry be dismantled in future and then what be new hope.