Weekly Updates

(Weekly Update #193) Dear Members and Advocates, Last week something pretty amazing happened. Justice Sotomayor made a statement respecting the denial of certiorari in a case concerning sex offender residency restrictions. The case itself was not picked up by the Court (very few are), but Justice Sotomayor was so compelled to share her thoughts and opinions on the issue, that

(Weekly Update #192) Dear Members and Advocates, Unless you are part of a marginalized group, the constant fear and apprehension that comes with being profiled and stereotyped is inconceivable. I am not African-American, so the phrase “driving while black” to describe the racial profiling of African-American drivers that lead to unwarranted traffic stops and automatic suspicion does not apply to

(Weekly Update #191) Dear Members and Advocates, This week’s update will provide a deeper dive into the order issued last week in the Ex Post Facto Plus II challenge. We begin with some relevant history. Four years ago (yes, it’s been four), we helped initiate a lawsuit in Federal Court to challenge the retroactive application of certain requirements of the

(Weekly Update #190) Dear Members and Advocates, This week’s update is quick and straight to the point. We are in the midst of battle. Going up against some very harsh bills this legislative session and we need more soldiers to help. That is by no means meant to detract from the incredible work that our legislative team has done this

  (Weekly Update #188) Dear Members and Advocates, Every few years, the Florida legislature enacts sweeping changes to its sex offender registry. Remember 2014, which Don Gaetz called the “scorched earth” year for registrants? How about 2018 when Lauren Book reduced the reporting period from 5 days to three? Well 2022 is shaping up to offer another huge kick in

(Weekly Update #187) Dear Members and Advocates, This is a story I’ve waited years to tell. I wasn’t able to write about it while his case was pending, but now I am free to. Sadly, it’s a true story and it’s a cautionary tale of how far someone will go to shut down an advocate for our cause. Chapter 1.

(Weekly Update #186) Dear Members and Advocates, I know this Weekly Update comes to you much earlier in the week than usual (right at the beginning of the week), but when there’s something brewing inside me, I find it hard to hold back. I’m feeling really cheated by OPPAGA! As a taxpayer and as a citizen of the State of

(Weekly Update #184) Dear Members and Advocates, Happy New Year! I woke up this morning imagining what it would have been like had I slipped into a coma in 2019 and just woke up. The world has sure changed a lot in just a few years. I imagine I would be a bit freaked out walking into grocery stores and

(Weekly Update #183) Dear Members and Advocates, The holidays are intended to be a time of joy and celebration. For some of us, that will be the case. Unfortunately, for many of us, the holidays serve as a reminder of our status. Every day, people are separated from family and friends because of estrangement or residency restrictions. Worse than living

(Weekly Update #182) Dear Members and Advocates, For those who have not been following our site, we have a crisis going on in Brevard County. Brevard, like most counties in Florida, has a residency restriction for persons required to register as sex offenders (SORR). Not only does Brevard have a SORR, they have a proximity ordinance. This means that not