Call to Action:  SB 1230 and HB 1235, “Sexual Predators and Sexual Offenders”

What you need to know about SB 1230 and HB 1235:

 

• SB 1230 and HB 1235 are identical bills where our legislators are attempting to amend the Sexual Predators Act (FS 775.21) and the Sexual Offenders Act (943.0435).

 

• SB 1230 is on the agenda for the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on January 23, 2024, (Tuesday) at 1:00 pm, 37 Senate Building.

 

• The sponsor of SB 1230 is Senator Jennifer Bradley, representing District 6 (Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Clay, Gilchrist, and Northern Alachua Counties).  The sponsor of HB 1235 is Representative Jessica Baker, District 17 (part of Duval County).

 

• The verbiage “a day includes any part of a calendar day” is back in this bill.  “For the purpose of calculating a temporary residence under this paragraph, the first day that a person abides, lodges, or resides at a place is excluded and each subsequent day is counted.  A DAY INCLUDES ANY PART OF A CALENDAR DAY.  (Lines 199-202 and other places in the bill.)

 

• Any duration of travel outside the USA is reportable (previously 5 days or more).  Line “5 days” struck out.

 

• Lines 35-37, 1600-1602, and 1034-1036 are to be interpreted as meaning that each instance of a failure to register or report changes of the required information specified in this paragraph constitutes a separate offense.  Therefore, you would be facing decades in prison for a few unintentional violations.  We are concerned about the vagueness of the wording and how it might be interpreted.

 

• Finally, because of the vagueness of lines 1731-1735 and 1749-1754, we are concerned how they might be interpreted by the courts.  In particular, the following new language has been added: “To qualify for removal of the registration requirements under this paragraph, a sexual offender described in sub-subparagraph (1) (h) 1.b. must establish that his or her designation has been removed and establish that he or she does not meet the criteria for registration under any other sub-subparagraph under subparagraph (1) (h) 1.”  Those subparagraphs enumerate all offenses which placed people on the registry in the first place.  Does this mean there is no relief?  We do not have the answer.

 

Please do the following:

 

• Email or call members of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee and House Criminal Justice Committee.  Since the Senate Criminal Justice meeting for SB 1230 is on 1:00 pm this Tuesday, it is important to contact them before Tuesday.  Contact information is listed below.

 

• You will need to give your name.

 

• If you are a constituent of the legislator you are contacting, make sure you mention that.

 

• Let the legislators know the reasons why you OPPOSE the bill.

 

• If you call in the evening or on a weekend, voicemail will pick up.  Leave a message.  Aides say that voicemails are counted.

 

• Ask family members and friends to also contact the legislators to OPPOSE SB 1230.  If they do not live in Florida, they can say that they have family and friends in Florida and do not want to see them treated unjustly.

 

• Always be cordial in your communications with the legislators.  They are more likely to listen to us if we are.

 

• If you choose to use some of the talking points given below, please do not copy/paste everything.  Write as much as you can in your own words.

 

AT THIS POINT, IF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHICH POINTS YOU WANT TO COVER AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY, THEN SKIIP THE TALKING POINTS AND GO STRAIGHT TO WRITING YOUR EMAILS OR MAKING YOUR PHONE CALLS.

 

Contact Information for  Senate Criminal Justice Committee:

 

Senator Jonathan Martin (R) Chair:  martin.jonathan.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5033

 

Senator Jennifer Bradley (R) Vice Chair:  bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5006

 

Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R):  ingoglia.blaise.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5011

 

Senator Keith Perry (R):  perry.keith.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5009

 

Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo (D):  pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5037

 

Senator Tina Scott Polsky (D):  polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5030

 

Senator Bobby Powell (D):  powell.bobby.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5024

 

Senator Clay Yarborough (R):  yarborough.clay.web@flsenate.gov     (850) 487-5004

 

bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.gov; ingoglia.blaise.web@flsenate.gov; martin.jonathan.web@flsenate.gov; perry.keith.web@flsenate.gov; pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov; polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov; powell.bobby.web@flsenate.gov; yarborough.clay.web@flsenate.gov

 

Contact Information for House Criminal Justice Committee:

 

Keith L. Truenow (R) Chair:  Keith.Truenow@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5026

 

Webster Barnaby (R) Vice Chair:  Webster.Barnaby@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5029

 

Michele K. Rayner (D) Democratic Ranking Member:  Michele.Rayner@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5062

 

Shane G. Abbott (R):  Shane.Abbott@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5005

 

Jessica Baker (R):  Jessica.Baker@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5017

 

Robert A. Brackett (R):  Robert.Brackett@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5034

 

LaVon Bracy Davis (D):  LaVon.BracyDavis@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5040

 

Robert Charles Brannan III (R):  Chuck.Brannan@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5010

 

Joe Casello (D):  Joe.Casello@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5090

 

Alina Garcia (R):  Alina.Garcia@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5115

 

Michael Gottlieb (D):  Michael.Gottlieb@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5102

 

Berny Jacques (R):  Berny.Jacques@myfloridahouse.gov;   850-717-5059

 

Kiyan Michael (R):  Kiyan.Michael@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5016

 

Rachel Saunders Plakon (R):  Rachel.Plakon@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5036

 

David Silvers (D):  David.Silvers@myfloridahouse.gov;   850-717-5089

 

Paula A. Stark (R):  Paula.Stark@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5047

 

Kaylee Tuck (R):  Kaylee.Tuck@myfloridahouse.gov;  850-717-5083

 

Taylor Michael Yarkosky (R):  Taylor.Yarkosky@myfloridahouse.gov; 850-717-5025

 

Shane.Abbott@myfloridahouse.gov; Jessica.Baker@myfloridahouse.gov; Webster.Barnaby@myfloridahouse.gov; Robert.Brackett@myfloridahouse.gov; Chuck.Brannan@myfloridahouse.gov; Joe.Casello@myfloridahouse.gov; LaVon.BracyDavis@myfloridahouse.gov; Alina.Garcia@myfloridahouse.gov; Michael.Gottlieb@myfloridahouse.gov; Berny.Jacques@myfloridahouse.gov; Kiyan.Michael@myfloridahouse.gov; Rachel.Plakon@myfloridahouse.gov; Michele.Rayner@myfloridahouse.gov; David.Silvers@myfloridahouse.gov; Paula.Stark@myfloridahouse.gov; Keith.Truenow@myfloridahouse.gov; Kaylee.Tuck@myfloridahouse.gov; Taylor.Yarkosky@myfloridahouse.gov 

 

Talking points:

 

Pertaining to the definition of a day:

 

• If a day includes any part of a calendar day, then a “day” can be a period of one hour or maybe even one minute, as these periods of time are “part of a calendar day.”

 

• This change in the definition of the word day is for the place a registrant “abides” or lives.  What if you are in your sister’s wedding which involves being at a temporary residence for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.  Since Friday is the first day, it would not count, but you would technically have to leave by 12:00 am on Monday as any part of Monday would count as a “day.”  What if your flight is canceled?  Use other scenarios that you can think of.

 

• Under no definition of the word “day” will you find listed an hour, a minute or “any part of a calendar day.” This bill’s proposal to define it as such is absurd and unjust.

 

• If Florida legislators want people on the registry to remain compliant, then change the word day to “business day.”  

 

Pertaining to lines 35-37, 1600-1602, and 1034-1036:

 

• Point out that by having each instance of a failure to register or report changes of the required information constituting a separate offense, there are people on the registry who would be facing decades in prison for a few unintentional violations.

 

Pertaining to the vagueness in lines 1731-1735 and 1749-1754:

• Ask for clarification of these lines.  They appear to contradict the original statutes that do allow for petitioning for removal from the registry.  Will this amended bill eliminate the pathway for possible removal for anyone on the sex offense registry?