You asked for feedback—this is great!! Keep up the good work.

send

Greetings

I am writing to emphatically request you vote NO on Senate Bill 1226. This proposed legislation is wrong on so many levels. First and foremost, it is not based on empirical evidence that is widely available from numerous studies about Sex Offenders and Predators. They are a group of citizens that are the 2nd least likely to re-commit their crime or any crime (second only to murder). In addition, data has shown over and over that proximity is not a factor in sexual crimes. Also, most sexual crimes are committed by those not identified on the registry. Therefore, this law and the registry does absolutely nothing to prevent sexual crimes (proven by empirical evidence).

Moreover, this proposed legislation imposes more impossible hurdles for formerly sanctioned adults to live their lives and remain productive members of society. Certainly, it is another punishment added to numerous others which not only endanger the Registered Citizen but also their families (including their children). It would effectively hinder travel to Florida by Registered Citizens from other states (even those no longer on the registry in their jurisdiction!). Each time a registered citizen must report a temporary residence change they must report to the sheriff office AND change their ID card! So, in 3 days’ time this legislation would require no less than 2 ID card changes and 2 visits to the sheriff office. The cost to the registered citizen is bad enough but the cost in extra man power to the state is also substantial. The law already requires a 5 day window which is already taxing on all involved. I ask you, will shortening that window by 2 days actually prevent any crime? Will it keep anyone safer? The answer is no it will not! Furthermore, it is highly unlike that registered citizens coming in as tourists will be able to have proper notification of these requirements in a such a short period of time and it does not allow FL Registered Citizens to even visit family or friends without added stress and sanctions being imposed. It does not appear that that this Bill was crafted due to violations of any type but instead just to push through more “feel good” sex offender legislation. Enough is Enough!

To address the other portion of this Bill that requires MANDATORY minimum periods of GPS monitoring for all technical registration violations. Frankly, this is absurd. It is an imposed punishment on those who have already served their sentence adjudicated by the FL or Federal court. The punishment would be because of a technical violation of which there could be many because of the growing number of sanctions on Registered Citizens. Technical violations are NOT new sexual crimes. While other states across our Nation are realizing that these laws have gotten out of hand and Federal judges are finding many of them unconstitutional the State of Florida wants to keep piling them on. GPS monitoring is expensive – not only for the wearer of the monitor but also for the State. My question would be who is going to monitor these citizens? You cannot impose probation for a violation of these technical laws unless it is a punishment adjudicated by a judge – in case you have forgotten that is called due process. Due process is based on the understanding that ALL are presumed innocent until proven guilty. GPS monitoring is a form of incarceration and the proposal to enforce this for a technical violation is inherently unconstitutional.

As these laws governing Registered Citizens continue to become more numerous it is clear that the State of Florida considers these individuals as inconsequential– a group of people that can be ostracized, bullied, and abused because they are no longer considered worthy in the eyes of the State. I am here to inform you otherwise – not only do Registered Citizens have those who love them and many friends that know the truth but the clear majority of them pay taxes – their family members and friends pay taxes – their family and friends are voters. Moreover, it has already been decided by a Federal judge that the State of Florida cannot pick and choose to whom they restore the right to vote – it must be none or all – it is likely that all Registered Citizens will get that right restored.

Again, I implore you to vote NO on Senate Bill 1226.

NumbersUSA (an immigration based political action organization) has a very nice system to contact representatives directly from their website. I am quite sure they have a larger budget, but perhaps something like they use could serve as a model for a future interface to contact house and senate members.

We as a collective are always being trumped on. I am personally tired of it and have started looking to move to another state or expatriate.

That is what I’m thinking as well, that the bill(s) will add to the already lengthy list of items that aren’t supposedly some type of punishment. Frankly I’m a bit surprised that it hasn’t been challenged in Florida already.
To anyone who doesn’t know what I am referring to, the probation restrictions closely resemble the
“civil” restrictions.

The issue with that is that most emails like that tend to end up labeled as spam.