CALL TO ACTION: Oppose SB 1558 which can take away children from parents
FELLOW WARRIORS, FAC MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS,
Many of you ask how you may help and be involved. This is one of the most important ways you may do both.
We need all of you and your circle of supporters and their supporters and their supporters to reach out and call your legislators and all members of the following committees to oppose this bill based on the following talking points.
THE NUMBER OF CALLS MATTERS!!!!!
CALL TO ACTION!!!
SB 1558 authored by Senator Lauren Book. HB 7049 authored by Criminal Justice subcommittee; Representative Spano
This is a horrible bill!
Child Exploitation; Revising the offenses that may be investigated and prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution; revising the types of offenses committed by a child in the custody of the Department of Children and Families which require the department to provide notice to the school superintendent; revising the type of offenses that create a rebuttable presumption of detriment for judicial determinations related to contact between a parent or caregiver and certain child victims, etc.
Among a number of things this bill seeks to do is remove parental rights of parents convicted of viewing child pornography even if the child was not the victim!
It empowers Department of Children and Families to make this call. We all know the horrific track record of DCF and how many children have died in their custody and control or oversight.
TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT NOR THE EXPERTISE!
Why is Florida going backwards? The Colorado Sex Offender Management Board (COSOMB) has just released new guidelines which actually says it’s important for parents to have contact with their children. They have rethought a position which was widely held for many years in Colorado, and now they have realized it is detrimental to the family as a whole. Not just the returning registered person but to the very children who were denied access to their parent.
There are high profile ATSA members on this COSOMB who are consultants to the SMART office… I think they know far more than legislators in Florida who seek only to continue to punish a population who is of the least likely to reoffend and have contact offense.
TELL OUR LEGISLATORS WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
Recent Article in the Denver Post…
Denver Post | March 5, 2017
Sex offenders see stringent parenting rules relaxed in Colorado, prompting debate over child safety Appeals court ruling rejected Colorado’s approach to treatment
By Christopher N. Osher
Excerpts: Colorado’s sex offenders have long maintained the state treats them as pariahs, closely monitoring where they live, what they look at, who they talk to and what they discuss. One claimed in federal court filings that he was warned against keeping a crucifix because it displayed partial nudity. Another, convicted of groping a woman, said he had to write down his thoughts every time he saw a school bus.
The idea was to protect children, but the resulting system that cut off offenders from their own families has now been struck down in federal court. That leaves Colorado to create a new sex-offender treatment and management system that defense lawyers say is long overdue but prosecutors worry will put children at risk.
The system used to start with the premise that offenders should be barred from seeing their children even when they had not been victimized, until offenders prove they’re safe. Probation and parole officials almost always barred contact. The new system presumes sex offenders should parent their children unless a judge or parole board find compelling evidence the children are in danger. CONTINUED: http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/05/sex-offenders-colorado-rules-children/
Another Reference is U.S. vs. Burns – U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, Case No. 13-5045 Opinion field Dec. 30, 2014 https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/opinions/13/13-5045.pdf
It is important that when you call, give your name, if you are a constituent, say so, DO NOT mention your registration status as it is irrelevant. If you are not a registered citizen DO NOT mention as it is irrelevant.
Talking Points:
* If we continue down this path by denying the rights of this group of people it’s a slippery slope, who then is next?
* This population is already without a voice in their inability to vote, they should at least be allowed to parent their own children if they so choose, as does every other citizen, without fear of law enforcement or the government taking them away because they are forced to bare a label imposed by the government for a past conviction.
* If law enforcement believes a crime is being committed they can get a search warrant, as they would for every other citizen.
* It is unconscionable the legislature believes this is acceptable to us as Americans to have our failing Department of Children and Families make decisions as to who should be parenting your children if there has been no harm caused to them by you.
.IT IS BAD POLICY FOR FLORIDA and AMERICA.
Click here to find the listings of all your legislators.
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx
http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/#Senators
Assigned House Committees
Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
Judiciary Committee
Assigned Senate Committees
Children, Families, and Elder Affairs (CF)
Criminal Justice (CJ)
Appropriations (AP)
Rules (RC)
Committees:
House of Representatives Committees
Judiciary:
Chairman: Chris Sprowls chris.sprowls@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5065
Vice Chairman: Ross Spano ross.spano@myfloridahoouse.gov (850) 717-5059
Democratic Ranking Member: Cynthia Stafford cynthia.stafford@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5109
Alexander, Ramon [D] ramon.alexander@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5008
Burgess, Jr., Daniel Wright “Danny” [R] Daniel.burgess@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5038
Cortes, John [D] john.cortes@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5043
Diamond, Ben [D] ben.diamond@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5068
Fant, Jay [R] jay.fant@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5015
Fitzenhagen, Heather [R] heather.fitzenhagen@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5078
Geller, Joseph [D] joseph.geller@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5100
Gonzalez, Julio [R] julio.gonzalez@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5074
Grall, Erin [R] erin.grall@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5054
Hager, Bill [R] bill.hagar@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5089
Harrison, Shawn [R] shawn.harrison@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5063
Metz, Larry [R] larry.metz@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5032
Moraitis, Jr., George R. [R] george.moraitis@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5093
Plakon, Scott [R] scott.plakon@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5029
Pritchett, Sharon [D] pritchett.sharon@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5102
Justice Appropriations:
Chairman: Bill Hagar bill.hagar@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5089
Vice Chairman: Eris Eisnaugle eric.eisnaugle@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5044
Democratic Ranking Member: Sharon Pritchett pritchett.sharon@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5102
Abruzzo, Joseph [D] joseph.abruzzo@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5081
Asencio, Robert [D] robert.asencio@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5118
Byrd, Cord [R] cord.byrd@myfloridahoouse.gov (850) 717-5011
Daniels, Kimberly [D] kimberly.daniels@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5014
Fitzenhagen, Heather [R] heather.fitzenhagen@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5078
Gruters, Joe [R] joe.gruters@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5073
Miller, Mike [R] mike.miller@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5047
Plakon, Scott [R] scott.plakon@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5029
Spano, Ross [R] ross.spano@myfloridahoouse.gov (850) 717-5059
Sullivan, Jennifer Mae [R] Jennifer.sullivan@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5031
Williams, Patricia H. [D] patricia.williams@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5092
Yarborough, Clay [R] clay.yarborough@mefloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5012
Criminal Justice:
Chairman: Ross Spano ross.spano@myfloridahoouse.gov (850) 717-5059
Vice Chair: Julio Gonzalez julio.gonzalez@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5074
Democratic Ranking Member: Sharon Pritchett pritchett.sharon@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5102
Alexander, Ramon [D] ramon.alexander@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5008
Altman, Thad [R] thad.altman@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5052
Eagle, Dane [R] dane.eagle@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5077
Grant, James “J.W.” [R] james.grant@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5064
Harrell, Gayle B. [R] gayle.harrell@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5083
Latvala, Chris [R] chris.latvala@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5067
Moskowitz, Jared Evan [D] jared.moskowitz@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5097
Raulerson, Daniel D. “Dan” [R] daniel.raulerson@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5058
Richardson, David [D] david.richardson@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5113
Rommel, Bob [R] bob.rommel@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5106
Slosberg, Emily [D] emily.slosberg@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5091
Sullivan, Jennifer Mae [R] Jennifer.sullivan@myfloridahouse.gov (850) 717-5031
Senate Committees:
Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs
Chair: Senator Rene Garcia (R) garia.rene@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5036
Vice Chair: Senator Victor M. Torres, Jr. (D) torres.victor@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5015
Senator Frank Artiles (R) artiles.frank@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5040
Senator Doug Broxson (R) broxson.doug@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5001
Senator Daphne Campbell (D) cambell.daphne@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5038
Senator Kelli Stargel (R) stargel.kelli@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5022
Judiciary
Chair: Senator Greg Steube (R) steube.greg@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5023
Vice Chair: Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) benacquisto.lizbeth@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5027
Senator Randolph Bracy (D) bracy.randolph@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5011
Senator Anitere Flores (R) flores.anitere@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5039
Senator Rene Garcia (R) garcia.rene@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5036
Senator Audrey Gibson (D) gibson.audrey@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5006
Senator Debbie Mayfield (R) mayfield.debbie@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5017
Senator Bobby Powell (D) bobby.powell@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5030
Senator Perry E. Thurston, Jr. (D) thurston.perry@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5033
Committee on Appropriations
Chair: Senator Jack Latvala (R) latvala.jack@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5016
Vice Chair: Senator Anitere Flores (R) flores.antiere@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5039
Senator Aaron Bean (R) bean.aaron@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5004
Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) benacquisto@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5027
Senator Lauren Frances Book (D) book.lauren@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5032
Senator Randolph Bracy (D) bracy.randolph@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5011
Senator Rob Bradley (R) bradley.rob@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5005
Senator Jeff Brandes (R) brandes.jeff@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5024
Senator Oscar Braynon II (D) braynon.oscar@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5035
Senator George B. Gainer (R) gainer.george@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5002
Senator Bill Galvano (R) galvano.bill@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5021
Senator Audrey Gibson (D) gibson.audrey@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5021
Senator Denise Grimsley (R) grimsley.denise@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5021
Senator Bill Montford (D) montford.bill@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5003
Senator Bobby Powell (D) powell.bobby@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5030
Senator David Simmons (R) simmons.david@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5009
Senator Wilton Simpson (R) simpson@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5010
Senator Kelli Stargel (R) stargel.kelli@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5022
Justice Appropriations:
Chairman: Senator Aaron Bean (R) bean.aaron@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5004
Vice Chairman: Senator Randolph Bracy (D) bracy.randolph@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5011
Senator Dennis Baxley (R) baxley.dennis@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5012
Senator Jeff Clemens (D) clemens.jeff@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5031
Senator Keith Perry (R) perry.kieth@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5008
Committee on Criminal Justice:
Chair: Senator Randolph Bracy (D) bracy.randolph@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5011
Vice Chair: Senator Dennis Baxley (R) baxley.dennis@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5012
Senator Aaron Bean (R) bean.aaron@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5004
Senator Rob Bradley (R) bradley.rob@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5005
Senator Jeff Brandes (R) brandes.jeff@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5024
Senator Jeff Clemens (D) clemens.jeff@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5031
Senator Darryl Ervin Rouson (D) rouson.darryl@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5019
Committee on Rules
Chair: Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) benacquisto.lizbeth@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5027
Vice Chair: Senator Perry E. Thurston, Jr. (D) Thurston.perry@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5033
Senator Lauren Frances Book (D) book.lauren@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5032
Senator Rob Bradley (R) bradley.rob@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5005
Senator Jeff Brandes (R) brandes.jeff@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5024
Senator Oscar Braynon II (D) braynon.osscar@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5035
Senator Anitere Flores (R) flores.antiere@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5039
Senator Bill Galvano (R) galvano.bill@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5021
Senator Jack Latvala (R) latvala.jack@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5016
Senator Tom Lee (R) lee.tom@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5020
Senator Bill Montford (D) montano.bill@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5003
Senator Wilton Simpson (R) simpson.wilton@flsenate.gov (850) 487-5010
This is your time to SHOW UP, STAND UP and SPEAK UP!
We are all in this together.
The time has come again to use our voices. It is of the utmost importance we gather the support of all those who support our cause and they participate in using their voice to let your legislators know this is not supported policy by their constituents.
Florida Assistant Principles at Workman Middle, Pensacola. Punished Students with a Split in half Baseball bat in the 1970’s. Grow up, finish a two year probation sentence. To be punished for life.
FAC, you folk really need to change that policy about not disclosing your status. You are alone in this policy, and I think it works against you.
The main problem with staying mum about status is there is now no registered person willing to have the spotlight on him. You see, the Books and the rest of the victim cultists say that we are “cockroachs” who scurry away when the light is shined on us. It is easier to dehumanize a largely unseen group (just look at Trump’s current anti-Muslim policies as an example).
Second, if you really want to impact legislators, you need to encourage families to come to legislative meetings and bring their kids along. This has been VERY EFFECTIVE in the other states that have done this– just ask your buddies over at ACSOL or better yet, ask Nebraskans Unafraid. You want to know who the best advocate against Nebraska’s LB60 was that day? It wasn’t me, it wasn’t the others who testified facts and figures, it was the baby of a registered citizen. When people SEE who these laws affect and the raw emotion they bring to the table, it makes it harder for them to pass bad legislation. This is why I KNOW that FAC’s current strategy is deficient.
Your strategy is like a football team with a one-dimensional offense, say, a team that only runs up the middle. What happens when you play a team that can stop the run? Your passing game sucks. Your defense isn’t stopping them. So what now? You’ve had the same playbook for years, and I see way better strategies from other states. You should be one of the biggest teams out there and yet you lack versatility. And those you choose to field, in my opinion, isn’t even the team that can win the big game! Lots of star players end up sitting on the sidelines or at home rather than the stadium because when you tell them to hide who they are, the impression is they are less of a player on this team.
I haven’t been impressed by your game up until now, but since you’re the only team in the land of ‘Duh, I hold out hope that you will see that other state groups are utilizing better strategies and present a more balanced offense. What the Nebraska group has done is a fine example of this– a small state got eight to testify, and not all of it was boring old facts and figures. These laws aren’t the result of fact and figures, they are the result of emotional stories. We can employ that same strategy. You need families testifying, yes, but having a father testify with his kids with him and giving an emotional testimony about how this will destroy his family will do far better than your fact-filled monologues ever will.
Don’t take this lightly. Those of you know know me know I’m a facts and figures guy. My website is mostly facts and figures. I get called to testify on facts and figures. But I also know that facts and figures only goes so far, just like running the ball in football only gets you so far. A sound strategy in football and in advocacy is to constantly shift strategies to keep your opponents guessing. Thus, I’d like to see FAC change this policy that registrants must keep mum about their status.
Mostly a great point. Here’s why I mostly agree:
Lawmakers use anecdotes and stories to make a personal connection. All of the horrid laws you can think of probably began with a story… a story of a legitimate victim in a heartbreaking story.
The problem, of course, is that the call to action accompanying that story is one of just victimizing more people and creating laws and policies that do nothing positive for anyone. Everybody loses, and I mean everybody. The one possible exception to the all-around loss: those profiteering from being at the center of the oppression initiative.
Dehumanization is the quickest path to oppression. The holocaust, for example, would not have been possible without the widespread and highly effective propaganda campaign to dehumanize Jews and other target minorities. A significant problem in war (including WWII) is getting your fighters to stop seeing the enemy as fellow human beings so that they can pull the trigger. We can see reflections of this in our and others’ plights of present.
So, yes, we need to block further dehumanization and get our human status back.
Despite having all the statistics on our side, it’s still hard to convince anyone to care if they don’t see the human impact.
That said, the registrant community is in an age-old dilemma where the immense burden, shame, and threat of harm placed upon any individual brave enough to come out of the shadows makes it a disheartening prospect. This may be by design or accident, but it’s the reality. Overcoming that fear is how all the misunderstood groups of the past have overcome, most recently the LGBT community comes to mind.
Derek does have a good point about the lawmakers, “seeing” the face of those who they write laws against. To have to look into the face of a Registered Parent and also be made to speak to a child/children of a Registered Parent puts the human factor back into it all.
Perhaps we should have some of us go to Tallahassee and make them “see” us.
Agreed – our challenge is we don’t have a strong contingency in that area. If we can organize a group to visit the legislators, that would be great.
How do we start then? This is very necessary.
The contact information for the legislators can be found at the bottom of the call to action.
I wanted to ask if emailing these representatives is also an acceptable way to communicate our desires. For me, email is a better form of communication as I can do it no matter the time of day.
Absolutely. YES!