SB 212 is on the Judiciary Committee agenda for tomorrow – Write these Senators TODAY!
Senate Bill 212 is on the Judiciary Committee agenda to be heard Tomorrow, February 10, 2026. This is a horrible bill that would not only add “public swimming pools” and “public bathing areas” to the 1000 foot residency restrictions, but would add a 200 foot proximity ban (retroactively), meaning you cannot go anywhere within 200 feet of a school, park, playground, daycare, public swimming pool or public bathing area. We’ve had a CALL TO ACTION posted to the top of our website containing the details, but below, for easier reference, are the Senators on the Judiciary Committee that you need to contact today. This is something that will cost you nothing, will take only a few minutes of your time, and can ensure that your voice (along with many others) will be heard. Please do not think ‘others are going to do their part so I don’t need to’. You absolutely need to! Even if it is one sentence letting the Senators know you Oppose SB 212, it counts towards making strong opposition known.
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Senator Clay Yarborough (R) – Chair
(850) 487-5004
Senator Colleen Burton (R) – Vice Chair
(850) 487-5012
Senator Lori Berman (D)
(850) 487-5026
Senator Nick DiCeglie (R)
(850) 487-5018
Senator Don Gaetz (R)
(850) 487-5001
Senator Ed Hooper (R)
(850) 487-5021
Senator Thomas J. “Tom” Leek (R)
(850) 487-5007
Senator Rosalind Osgood (D)
(850) 487-5032
Senator Kathleen Passidomo (R)
(850) 487-5028
Senator Tina Scott Polsky (D)
(850) 487-5030
Senator Jay Trumbull (R)
(850) 487-5002
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When I emailed the members I focused on private property rights (which supposedly is a big deal in Florida) and affects on seniors, veterans and assisted living.
My knowledge of the Florida legislative system is limited, but I assume it tracks closely with the Federal system. So, the Senate bill is before judiciary, then it looks like rules, and then to a Senate vote. But given that the House and Senate bills differ, there has to be some sort of reconciliation meeting where the bills are merged for a full vote of the House and Senate.
I do not know where the House bill stands. I’ve not heard anything about a House vote being scheduled, nor do I know which committees in the House are left to review it. If anyone has info on that, please share.
Thanks!
Question for FAC:
Would it be beneficial, in any way, for non-Florida residents to chime in and send opposition comments to the FL legislators? Cherokeejack made the very valid point ALL registrants will suffer from if this legislation is passed. How can America be home of the free, if freedom itself is limited to those NOT on the registry?
Suppose I am a tourist traveling through Florida from another state and my vehicle happens to break down on an interstate highway within 200 feet of a hotel swimming pool. Then a local Florida cop stops to render aid, runs my license plate and discovers I’m on the registry in Texas. Am I immediately locked up for violating FL residency law? What kind of archaic, backward law is that and how is that protecting anyone? As a law-abiding American citizen from a different state, listed on my state’s registry, under no supervision, am I supposed to memorize and abide by every single residency law from each state I pass through? Not to mention each city that may have its own local residency laws. This is totally absurd and un-American.
It would. Many Florida businesses depend on tourist dollars.
Bob
It is even worse than you think in Florida. All the years I have been on F.A.C, I have seen post by tourist who got off the registry in their state or came down to visit with permission from their state, and ending up on the Florida registry. Not because they committed another sexual offense, but due to archaic laws and rules from our registry laws which if I am correct are some of the harshest in the nation.
With a few exceptions, the registry here is for life. We even have dead people on our registry, LOTS of them. That should tell you something right there.
The most concerning thing about this. Is the deprivation of human rights in the gorm of denying an individual to right to live in sanitary conditions.
“Public bathing areas” does this include truck stops that provide bathing facilities? The way i read it is that it does. And if that is the case the the state is effectively cutting off the homeless population of registrants from accessing clean water bathing facilities. Which means denying registrants the right to sanitary living.
In addition, how does this affect registrants who live on house boats? 10 acre or larger body of publicly accessible water. Yhe residency restriction may grandfather them in. But theres no grandfathering for proximity ordinance
That point in and of itself was well made. I would further pose that incarceration would also put the registrant at risk of being charged under this one. Are the showers in the jails and prison not communal? Thus since the “public areas of prisons would be banned by default under this bill.
In Prison the “common room fits the definition of public area when concerning the Inmate population we now have a large portion of the prison population being denied the right to proper hygiene. Any argument must be looked at.
James. You are delving into ridiculous territory. Showers are not covered by the ordinance. If you’re being sarcastic, hopefully everyone recognizes that. If you are serious, you should read the definitions in the statutes.
since there is a public swimming pool across street from hospital and dr. office in Saint Cloud Florida i guess i will have to go 20 miles further and pray an ambulance never takes me there or it’s an automatic prison sentence
Good morning family.
I called the phone numbers I was given through Florida action committee and I feel like I did a little bit of something good today registering our complaints.
Thank you! I hope everyone does.
Thank you Bruce, I hope and pray your’s and other’s calls to actions will make a positive impact.
This is basically a ban on Freedom itself. It is nearly impossible for this one to not cause many of us to be arrested as these banned areas are everywhere we go, live, drive past etc. This bill literally could cause numerous people who have been off probation for decades to go right back into the system, which I believe is what they are aiming for. Disgusting and purposely created for us to fail.
I would have to drive 3 miles the other way to not go past the school near my house. And how are they going to enforce that, with license plate readers?
Jack, be sure to direct this to Senate Judiciary Committee members prior to tomorrow’s hearing (other than “drive past,” which fortunately is not in this version of the bill).
FAC
I must have misread or mis-interpreted what it meant. So much for having a college degree.
Anyway, thanks for clearing that part of it up, that gives me a “Tiny” bit of relief.
Jack, as one of the more quick and prolific contributors to this forum, you are urged to e-mail Senate Judiciary Committee members letting them know your position.
Hi Jack,
Agree with FAC-12. There is nothing in the bill about “driving past” and for good reason. That would be an infringement on the right to travel and SCOTUS has been clear on that.
Here is the part of SB212 that address the “Driving past”
(4) This section does not apply to a person who: 155
(a) Has been removed from the requirement to register as a 156
sexual offender or sexual predator under s. 943.04354. 157
(b) Is actively traveling past a location described in 158
subsection (1) while in transit to another destination. 159
(c) Is dropping off or picking up his or her child or 160
grandchild from a child care facility or school, or is visiting 161
his or her child’s or grandchild’s child care facility or 162
school, subject to the requirements in s. 856.022(4)(b). 163
(d) Is visiting or otherwise within 200 feet of a location 164
described in subsection (1) for the sole purpose of: 165
1. Attending a religious service as defined in s. 775.0861. 166
2. Voting, if such person is present during the hours 167
designated for voting. 168
3. Conducting official business at a local, state, or 169
federal government building.
Please see section B.
Hopfully this cheers you up a tad.