As recently posted by Smashed Frog (Five Years after Jessica, 2/24/10):
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State Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, is sponsoring legislation to revamp Florida's sex offender laws by implementing a "circle of safety" to protect children instead of strong residency restrictions on sexual offenders. The main provision of the bill (HB119) would prohibit sexual offenders from loitering within 300 feet of locations where children are present.
"Sometimes we focus on where those people live," Glorioso said. "Where they are sleeping last night really isn't the issue. It's what they are doing when they are awake."
That being said...
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Glorioso has been forced to modify bill HB119 as municipalities are a bit verklempt with the inclusion to preempt "...local residency restrictions on sex offenders, forbidding counties and cities from making barriers tougher than the 1,000-foot standard in state law.Glorioso said that even though research shows the restrictions don't help, he plans to strike that part of his bill, blaming political opposition."
Just had to wonder if the same duo bopping around Florida talking up circles of safety (in addition to residency restrictions) to any interested municipality willing to listen, was somehow linked to the political opposition putting the screws to Glorioso's bill. (Smashed Frog, The Books Take Child Safety Zones on the Road, 2/5/2010).
Then the following Google alert popped up in my mailbox to help underscore all that is wrong with the Florida state legislature and why the people of this state are the Big Losers.
The Miami Herald, Florida Legislators Making Last Grabs for Money (3/2/2010):
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Standing outside Clyde's & Costello's, Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, accepted a check from South Florida lobbyist Ron Book.
``You have to raise money and it takes money to run a campaign,'' said Glorioso, who said the economy has hampered his fundraising. ``Businesses are struggling, so it's a tough year.'
Am I the only one making a connection here?
