NOTIFICATION OF REGISTRANT RESTRICTION CHANGES
Effective July 1, 2026, and pending the Governor signing CS/HB45/SB212 into law, the following changes will be made in Florida’s law.
The current state mandated 1,000 ft residency restrictions from schools, playgrounds, childcare centers, and parks continue to apply.
Effective July 1, 2026:
Swimming Pool residency ban: Registrants with specified offenses involving those less than 16 years old which offense occurred on or after July 1, 2026 – may not live within 1,000 ft of public swimming pools. Registrants whose offense was between Oct 1, 2004 (May 26, 2010 out of state offense) and before July 1, 2026 may stay in their residences BUT when they change their permanent residence they must comply with the 1,000 ft public swimming pool restriction. This residency ban is retroactive when a person moves from their permanent residence.
Registrants whose crimes occur on or after July 1, 2026 and who are on conditional release, probation or community control with specified offenses involving those less than 18 years old may not live within 1,000 ft of a public swimming pool, park, playground, school or childcare facility beginning July 1, 2026. The Florida Dept. of Corrections will provide further guidance which we will share as soon as it is available.
The specific language in the bill states, “”Public swimming pool” means a structure which is located either indoors or outdoors and used for recreational bathing or swimming by humans. The term includes a conventional pool, spa-type pool, wading pool, special purpose pool, spray pool, splash pad, or other water recreation attraction, to which admission may be gained with or without payment of a fee, regardless of whether entry to the swimming pool is limited by a gate or other method of controlling access. The term includes swimming pools operated by or serving subdivisions, apartments, condominiums, mobile home parks, or townhouses, or any pool operated by a governmental entity which is held open to the public. The term does not include a swimming pool at a private single-family residence, hotel, motel, or recreational vehicle park or a swimming pool where the operator prohibits the use of such pool by persons younger than 18 years of age.”
Loitering and Prowling: Changes the loitering and prowling prohibition from within 300 feet to within 500 feet of a place where children congregate. Warrantless arrests are now authorized.
This bill changes knowingly approaching with intent to communicate with sexual intent to any contact/communication/approach with a person younger than 18 years old in a park, playground or a recreational swimming pool. Family members are excluded. Only two types of recreational swimming pools are excluded: private single-family residences and facilities where persons younger than 18 are prohibited. This change is retroactive.
It remains legal to go to a park, playground, and swimming pool but registrants cannot communicate with minors, except their own children, in these locations. Contacting, communicating, approaching one’s family and household members younger than 18 years old are excluded.
Registrants whose crime occurred on or after July 1, 2026 and who are on conditional release, probation or community control with specified offenses involving those less than 18 years old – may not visit a public swimming pool without prior approval from supervising officer and may not work at a public swimming pool.
Written notification of Conviction: Persons with specified offenses may not be on the premises or property of a child care facility or school when it is in operation. Parents, grandparents and legal guardians may go to a child care facility or school with written notification of sexual offense conviction to the school board, principal, or owner and notification of when they intend to be present at the school/child care facility.
Retroactive: This notification change applies to all specified offenders – it does not matter when the offense occurred.
Excluded from notification: Parents, grandparents and legal guardians who are dropping off or picking up his/her child or grandchild at the childcare facility or school.
Registrants may be on the premises solely to attend a religious service.
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Chapter No. 2026-17 on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 10:23 AM
Fitying it is signed o April Fool’s Day
This new dictatorial restriction may be just that, too restrictive. The state may have a constitutional problem with one. But if not challenged in court, it will grow roots just like all the other SO restrictive laws in Florida that has not been challenged and have gotten more restrictive.
I often swim at 6am at the local pool. I have a prepaid pass. There are never/rarely anyone there under 18. However, the person at the window that i show my pass to is anywhere from 15 to 22 years old. This law effectively bans me from the pool which is unconstitutional. The law is vague and overly broad. They aren’t supposed to be able to remove my constitutional rights without due process. Saying that I had due process 30 years ago, when this and almost all of my other trampled rights were not in jeopardy, is crap.
And I’m gonna continue to beat this horse:
The CONTRACT that I signed with the state was very explicit in its terms. It did not allow for ‘collateral consequences’. So, anyone who took a plea with the promise that it was the only way for you to have a life afterwards, your contract has been violated by the state and we should be released from it and our convictions removed with no harm to come to us as a result of the STATE’S failure to abide by the terms of a contract that was forced on most of us in the first place!
I agree with you 1000%!
Jim,
The way I am reading this is that it is talking about residency not usage. Plus it sounds like you conviction was before 2004 so you should be grandfathered in. Just what I am reading here.
I agree about plea contract. Like yourself mine was 30 yrs ago and it was classified as attempted. When I agreed to the plea there was not website there was not extra punishments etc. ex post facto. .