SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) – State Senator Greg Steube (R-Sarasota) has introduced legislation that would require landlords to disclose when they’ve run background checks on their employees, Mike Vasilinda of Capitol News Service reports.
Under the proposal, known as the “Tenant Notification Act,” renters would be notified in writing whether the landlord has screened anyone with access to the premises.
The law would give tenants the right to cancel their lease and get back their deposit if they learn an employee is a sex offender, has stolen credit cards or has a history of violence.
“If there is people working in these large complexes, and they’re not background checks on whether they are sex offenders or not, and they have access to people’s homes, to me that’s a problem,” said Sen. Steube.
Others, like Erwin Jackson, a landlord who rents more than 250 apartments disagrees.
“And see no reason I should take that information and provide it to my tenants. I think there is a privacy there,” Jackson told Capitol News Service.
There are still some details of the bill that have to be worked out, such as how many units are in a complex before a background check notice would be necessary.
Old Merle never had it more right ..makes me wonder why i even try
I’d like to hold my head up and be proud of who I am
But they won’t let my secret go untold
I paid the debt I owed them, but they’re still not satisfied
Now I’m a branded man out in the cold
When they let me out of prison, I held my head up high
Determined I would rise above the shame
But no matter where I’m living, the black mark follows me
I’m branded with a number on my name
Oh boy this is why crimes are committed force a law exposing your past you lose your job now you got to steal things to live because they want to bring up are past i can see this going to pass LOL NOT!!! it wont pass and it won’t another stupid shit to protect kids wow really! if you want to protect kids WATCH THEM KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AT !!!!! that simple. WTF is up with this ppl.
Several years ago I was employed by a large property management firm. My employer was aware of my history and knew me before my offense. I had access to hundreds of commercial and residential properties via master keys. None of the tenants knew anything about me and they all received the same level of service.
Some “do gooder” with a personal axe to grind contacted my employer and threatened to notify all of the tenants if they didn’t get rid of me and make a public announcement within so many days.
My employer did his best to protect me but they did notify several commercial tenants and I was black balled from or provided an escort on most of the government properties for a few months before everyone forgot and it went away.
All this does is further erode our ability to integrate in with society after our EOS.
Is society really served by knowing that the poor guy unclogging your toilet of your apartment went to jail for statutory 30 years ago?
Another Florida redneck career politician pulling us back to the old days. While other States progressively are eliminating background checks for employment.
Another way to keep us unemployable without merit
ACLU………..
Did you notice that the bill includes a person that “has stolen credit cards” and “has a history of violence”. Don’t get me wrong….this bill is nothing more than another way to make sure an Registered Citizen cannot get a job or find work. But you see how the politicians include these other individuals. That’s so we can’t say they are discriminating against our group.
The Tenant Notification Act is nothing more that a “Hate Crime” waiting to become law.
” Did you notice that the bill includes a person that “has stolen credit cards” and “has a history of violence”. ”
The other two crime types are just an icing to hide the cake. It’s always about the sex offender.
There is a movement by some Law Enforcement to try and push registration of all Felons in Florida. These people believe once a Felon always a Felon. So, what are these people supposed to do to start over. America has more people incarcerated than the whole World combined. How does a country with 380,000,000 people have more inmates than all the countries combined? We are small fraction of the Worlds 6 Billion population. There are no rehabilitation programs, so they keep getting in trouble with no options, and no place to work. What a vicious circle. Seems like a way to keep the wheels of the money-making justice system turning. Blame these nutty politicians who entertain these crazy ideas and let them pass without a plan to fix the problem.
You do need to register if you are a felon. Nothing new here.
well i disagree also i own rental properties and i am not telling anyone of my past unless i want to.
More stupid stuff to target SO’s trying to get back to life and move forward. When does this end?
More useless crap legislature to spread fear and further attempt to sanitize the state of Florida diverting attention from the real criminals (those in government such as Senator Greg Steube).
It will be “sold” to the people using the same lies as all the other useless crap laws they pile on. I am truly starting to think that Florida is a lost cause.
Sure !! Continue to push out any person with a PAST !!! What is a person (or a new class of Citizen) with a past supposed to do ?? How are they supposed to reiterate back into Society ??. All these Laws are getting passed to HURT a Sex Offender (or ex felon), But what laws are getting passed to HELP THEM ???. I believe that, If the Government passes laws to prevent a EX Offender to provide for themselves and their families, Then the Government should be REQUIRED to support that person and their families !!. That’s just COMMON SENSE !! But again, We’re talking about our Government !!!!. If all these “People of Power” had to live by all the restrictions that the laws they get passed, Maybe they wouldn’t be so quick to pass ANY !!! Wake Up America !! It’s time to Stand Up against Tyranny before it’s too late !! …..
TOBM, I totally agree that if the government makes you unemployable they should give you a pension. Florida laws have, and continue to, debilitate any effort for anyone with a criminal past to “move on,” especially s-ex offenders. Also, I have heard, anecdotally, that since s-ex offenders are considered deviant and mentally ill, being diagnosed under DSM-5, we qualify for mental disability under Social Security. I have yet to find any evidence supporting that, but it makes sense that if this label prevents you from working then you should be eligible and compensated.