Hurricane Ian preparation for registrants

 

(Weekly Update #230)

Dear Members and Advocates,

The most important thing to convey to our members this week is to STAY SAFE! As I write this message, Hurricane Ian is passing over Cuba. It is forecasted to strengthen into a category 4 Hurricane as it passes over the Gulf of Mexico before once again making landfall somewhere near Tampa tomorrow. At this time, everyone should be making last minute preparations to ensure your family and your property is secure.

At the top of our website we have pinned a link to a table containing various County Sheriff’s Office responses for information on what someone on the registry is supposed to do in the event they are forced to evacuate. If there is no hyperlink to your County, that means that they did not respond to our request for emergency shelter information. In that case, you should call your local registration office (https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Documents/REREGISTRATIONLOCATIONS.pdf) and ask where you are supposed to go. If they are unwilling or unable to assist you, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management at https://www.floridadisaster.org and find out which Zone you are in. Then contact the shelters within that zone and ask whether they will accommodate you. If you are still not able to get guidance, you can contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. On July 12, 2018, the FDLE responded to an FAC letter on this specific issue. They wrote, “…in the event of natural disasters and other unforeseen emergencies, registrants may contact the local sheriff’s office to give notice of the situation, request guidance, and/or inform of their travel, evacuation, location plans.  If a registrant is unable to establish communication with their local sheriff’s office they may contact the FDLE registry 24-7 for assistance in making contact and/or noting their emergency situation and intended location/travel status etc.”  The contact information for FDLE is sexpred@fdle.state.fl.us or 1-888-357-7332.

Note that several Counties require registrants to report to a jail facility during an evacuation.  It is understandable to not want to voluntarily check yourself into a jail. If that becomes your only option (you are transient and do not have a home to shelter in) please contact us and we will see if a member in another part of the state can accommodate you.

Also, please remember that Florida’s registration statute does not provide any exception to the registration requirements during times of natural disasters, even when registration offices themselves are closed! If you anticipate evacuating and staying someplace for a period of three (3) or more consecutive days, you will need to register the place you are staying as your new “permanent residence”. That will require you to secure a new Driver’s License or ID from the DHSMV. You can find a local DHSMV office here: https://www.flhsmv.gov/locations/.  Also remember that even if you plan to stay someplace temporarily for just one or two days, but you have stayed there previously within the past year, you may still have to register that location as a “temporary address” (or “transient address” if you were in the same county for three days in the aggregate without establishing a permanent or temporary residence).

Another item to remember when evacuating. If your evacuation results in you establishing a permanent, temporary or transient residence in another state you are required to report to the Sheriff’s Office within 48 hours before (943.0435(7)). On the other hand, if your evacuation results in you establishing a permanent, temporary or transient residence in Florida, you are required to report to the Driver’s License office within 48 hours after (943.0435(4)(a)). So, for example, if you are in Hillsborough County and decide to ride out the storm at your sister’s home in Palm Beach County for 3 consecutive days and then return home, you have 48 hours from that third day to report to the Driver’s license office to register your sister’s home in Palm Beach County as your “permanent residence” even though you are not there anymore. We recognize it’s totally stupid and useless to have to report, in person, a new address you are no longer at, but we didn’t write these laws.

If you are on probation or any form of supervision, please be sure to notify your probation officer of any emergency provisions you have made and find out whether they have any additional instructions. There is a good possibility that you may experience a power outage, so if you are on GPS or any type of electronic monitoring, be sure you have the ability to contact your officer to notify them if you lose power and are unable to charge your device. You should also be aware of any emergency provisions their office has made should your officer become unavailable because of the storm. [NOTE: In the event of a power outage, you may want to print a copy of this update as well as any information from the links provided, just in case you are not able to access it when you need it.]

While we would like to think that natural disasters would be a time of understanding and accommodation, it can also serve as a trap used by Sheriffs in some of the more “aggressive” counties [NOTE:  Polk County is to the immediate right of Tampa, where the storm is supposed to hit], so please be vigilant of the literal storm on one side of you and the figurative storm on the other.

To the extent FAC can offer any other support or help during or after the storm, please let us know. Let’s all look out for one another and remain safe!

Sincerely,

The Florida Action Committee

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO OUR EX POST FACTO SUSTAINER FUND. WE ARE APPROXIMATELY $11,000 SHORT.

ANNOUNCEMENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Next Monthly Membership Meeting – Thursday October 6 at 8pm ET.  Call 319-527-3487.  Topic: How the Registry impacts Women and a study on Mothers of Registered Citizens with Guest Shelley Kavanaugh LCSW. If you have trouble connecting, text CALL ME to 319-527-3487 to received a call back and be connected to the meeting.

Next New Member Orientation Call – Thursday October 13 at 8pm ET.  Call 319-527-3487. How can we help you?  No set agenda.  Call-in to ask questions about organization, get resources and referrals, find support groups, or share stories and concerns. If you have trouble connecting, text CALL ME to 319-527-3487 to received a call back and be connected to the meeting.

See Calendar of Events – Keep up with Meet-and-Greets in your area, Support groups, Membership Calls, and other events.  For questions and more information contact the Membership Team;   membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or call 833-273-7325,Option 1.

Click Here for Calendar, and double click on the event to view details and RSVP instructions. Just some of the upcoming events below.

Thu Sep 29 at 7pm NEW Men’s Group– CANCELED for September. Watch for new date and details.

Oct 8 from 11am-1pm ET – Family Support Group Zoom call. Therapist-led support group of spouses, partners, parents, and relatives who have loved ones on the Registry.  By invitation only. Contact the Membership Team to participate.

Meet-and Greets – Locations, guest speakers, and other information is provided when you RSVP.

Sat Oct 15 – Meet and Greet in Indian River/St Lucie area – Watch for details or contact fac.region4b@gmail.com.

Sat Oct 22 – Meet and Greet in Hernando/Brooksville 2-4pm RSVP to membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or call 833-273-7325 Option 1 (say Hernando)

Sat Oct 22- Meet and Greet in Jacksonville -Potluck Dinner – 3:00-5:30pm. RSVP to Brad at fac.duval@gmail.com or call 833-273-7325 Option 1 (say Duval).

Sat Oct 22- Meet and Greet in Sarasota. 1:00-4:00pm RSVP to jennifer.sarasotafac@gmail.com or call 941-500-4706

Sat Oct 29 Meet and Greet in Fort Myers . 1:00-4:00pm RSVP to olivia1.fac@gmail.com or text/call 941-315-7914

Sat Oct 29 – Meet and Greet in Orlando – Area Meeting PLUS discussion on Civil Commitment: Intent vs Reality- Apopka (Orange County) – FAC is hosting the visit of a research Sociologist from University of South Carolina, Greensboro in preparation of his research on Civil Commitment.  He is interested in meeting and talking to persons that have knowledge and experience with the Civil Commitment Center in Arcadia FL.  Former residents, family members, professionals are invited to join us to identify issues/concerns, understand the intent vs reality of the system, and to identify the areas of research that need to be studied to support changes. RSVP to membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or call 833-273-7325,Option 1.

Become a County Coordinator.  The only requirement is your desire to HELP us organize your county.  If you are interested in joining the County Coordinator Team, leave message at 833-273-7325, Option 1, or email membership@floridaactioncommittee.org

Letter-Writing Campaigns – If you would like to participate in sending educational information to specific decision makers in Florida, please  contact Media@floridaactioncommittee.org.  Volunteers must be willing to proudly identify themselves by using their own name and return address on the letters.

SOME HEADLINES FROM THIS WEEK

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NY: Candidate seeks to end in-person college for people required to register as sex offenders

Dave Catalfamo, Republican candidate for state Assembly District 113, pledged on Tuesday that he would introduce legislation that would bar registered sex offenders from taking classes on college campuses. Catalfamo said during a phone interview on Tuesday that he…