Papa (and daughter) have a brand new bag.
Ron Book and daughter Laura Book-Lim boogied on up from the bright lights of Miami-Dade to dish up a bit of baseless factoids at the invite of the elected officials of rural Polk County, Florida.
(...)
Book-Lim along with her father, lobbyist Ron Book, were invited by Commissioner Randy Wilkinson and spoke about the Polk County Sex Offender Ordinance. Book-Lim asked commissioners to consider adding "child safety zones" and loitering measures to the current ordinance, a measure that was recently added to the same ordinance in Miami-Dade.
Book-Lim said she also would like to see all sexual predators and offenders banned from all county parks. (Newschief.com, 2/4/2010).
Responsible for the frenzy of residency restrictions for those persons deemed sex offenders--restrictions that superceded state law of 1000 feet--it now appears the Books are lobbying for the next phase of state-wide municipality overreach: redefining loitering to actually mean exclusion.
The Florida state legislature is currently considering legislative proposals (S 1284 and H119) which would bring municipalities into compliance with restriction of residence within the individual communities and legally define loitering and prowling specific to child safety zones i.e., areas where children are known to gather.
As I pondered over at Miami-Blinks (1/22/10), such a legal definition would seemingly clarify that "those registered (could) now be permitted to utilize state parks, public boat launches and all and any community area as would any other Floridian."
As would any other taxpayer.
The Books have obviously picked up on that as well.
Ron Book, Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust proved a powerful lobbyist for passage of residency restriction law at the state and municipality levels which resulted in an encampment of sex offenders living under Miami's Julia Tuttle Causeway. The span quite effectively underscored the homelessness consequence of restriction law and soon became recognized as a worldwide symbol of NIMBY exclusion.Mr. Book failed to mention his common sense conclusion rejects DOJ statistics that in the majority of cases, most victims knew the offender. The Books have lived the known offender nightmare through an unfortunate real life experience and yet, continue to lobby without citation of the following real-word stats:(...)
"It's common sense not to allow people who have showed the propensity to commit a sexual act against a child anywhere around children and we just can't have that," Book said. "We urge that you ban predators from all parks and protect the citizens and their children."
In 90% of the rapes of children less than 12 years old, the child knew the offender, according to police-recorded incident data.
Of concern to this blogger.
S 1284 cites (in regards to residence restrictions) that "...A county of municipality may, upon the recommendation of its chief law enforcement officer and upon a finding of public necessity, adopt an ordinance that increases the distance exclusion for the residence of a person subject to s. 794.065, s. 947.1405, or s. 948.30 up to a maximum distance of 1,750 feet."
Anticipating every sheriff in the state will declare such a recommendation to protect children, a grandfather clause ensuring the continued residence of those persons currently living and maintaining home within the maximum distance of 1,750 feet is recommended for S 1284 and H 1119 inclusion. As witnessed over the past several years, ex post facto law seemingly does not apply to those listed on the SO registry.
Law enforcement discretion with child safety zones is not distinguished in the legislative proposals and my thoughts are the Books have already eyeballed such in anticipation law enforcement would be granted such authority regarding child safety zones as stated above--if left unclarified--upon passage of the proposed law. Otherwise, explain the statement by Polk County Sheriff's Office Lt. Lloyd Stewart that he "...was happy with the ordinance, but would entertain changes to strengthen the ordinance, not dilute it."
County Attorney Michael Craig adds credence to my premise with his recommendation to the Polk County Commissioners:
"...if the board wants to create child safety zones, it should be written as a separate ordinance."
This Frog would suggest Mr. Craig is fully aware the passage of the proposed state law will immediately preempt a ban as suggested by the Books if linked to the current county sex offender ordinance.
S 1284 and H119 may define child safety zones (along with loitering and prowling) by proposed changes to the current state law but as written, does not prevent Florida cities and municipalities from further definition of the law specific to their home areas.
NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) becomes NIMCSZ (Not in My Child Safety Zone).
It is the responsibility of the state legislature to ensure such potential exclusion is addressed as unlawful action by Florida municipalities as S 1284 and H119 head to committee.
As taxpayers, we and and designated family members support parks and recreational areas through tax dollars. We are currently excluded from enjoying these areas together as families through state and municipal ordinance. State legislators should be mindful those deemed sex offenders and their families are carefully monitoring the proposed changes in state law and encourage elected lawmakers to tighten the proposals specific to child safety zones to ensure municipality compliance and legally prevent such from further defining the law (if passed) to further exclude us from the use of what we continue to pay for, yet cannot access.
Otherwise, I foresee a class action suit on these very grounds.
Both Ron and Laura Book-Lim should be publicly admonished for their continuance to lobby for bad law based on dated research and no statistics. I would further suggest--if such actions continue--the resignation of Mr. Book as Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust--be issued.
In light of the Julia Tuttle fiasco, how he remains in this leadership position is beyond this blogger.
It is absolutely time to undo the cruelty, the collateral damage and unintentional consequences of Florida's sex offender laws.
