SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

CS/CS/HB 931

Career Offender Registration

VERSION H 931 c2 · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to career offender registration;
3 amending s. 322.141, F.S.; requiring a certain driver
4 license or identification marking for a career
5 offender; providing applicability; requiring a career
6 offender to report to the Department of Highway Safety
7 and Motor Vehicles in a certain month to obtain an
8 updated or renewed driver license or identification
9 card; amending s. 775.261, F.S.; providing and
10 revising definitions; providing that if a sanction is
11 not imposed upon a career offender, such offender is
12 deemed to have been released upon conviction;
13 requiring a career offender to report in person at the
14 sheriff's office for initial registration; revising
15 the time of such report; revising information and
16 documentation required upon initial registration;
17 specifying that information and documents are provided
18 to the Department of Law Enforcement through the
19 sheriff's office; specifying the manner in which
20 changes to a career offender's information must be
21 reported; requiring certain career offenders to report
22 to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
23 and obtain a driver license or identification card
24 containing a required marking within a certain period
25 of time; revising the information and documentation
26 certain career offenders must provide to the
27 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles when
28 reporting; requiring a career offender to report
29 changes to any information provided upon initial
30 registration within certain periods of time; requiring
31 the custodian of a jail to notify the Department of
32 Law Enforcement within a certain period of time if
33 such custodian has a career offender in his or her
34 custody and upon release of such offender; requiring
35 such custodian to take a digitized photograph of the
36 career offender and provide it to the Department of
37 Law Enforcement; requiring the custodian to notify the
38 Department of Law Enforcement if a career offender
39 escapes or dies; removing a provision relating to the
40 registration of a career offender at an office of the
41 Department of Law Enforcement; specifying the
42 procedure for a career offender to establish a
43 residence after initial registration; requiring the
44 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to
45 forward photographs and certain information to the
46 Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of
47 Corrections; authorizing the Department of Highway
48 Safety and Motor Vehicles to release certain images to
49 the Department of Law Enforcement for purposes of
50 public notification; requiring that certain career
51 offenders report changes to certain information to the
52 sheriff's office within a certain period of time;
53 requiring a career offender to report an in-state
54 travel residence within a certain period of time;
55 requiring a career offender who vacates a residence
56 and does not establish another residence to report
57 certain information in person within a certain period
58 of time; requiring a career offender who remains at an
59 address that such offender previously reported he or
60 she was vacating to report such information in person
61 within a certain period of time; requiring the
62 sheriff's office to report such information to the
63 Department of Law Enforcement; revising procedures for
64 establishing a residence outside this state; requiring
65 a career offender to report previously unknown travel
66 in person to the sheriff's office as soon as possible
67 before departure; revising the entities to which the
68 career offender must provide certain residence
69 information; requiring annual reregistration of career
70 offenders during a certain month; specifying
71 information that a career offender must provide upon
72 reregistration; requiring certain governmental
73 entities to verify certain career offender information
74 at least once per year; requiring local law
75 enforcement agencies to report to the Department of
76 Law Enforcement failure by a career offender to comply
77 with registration requirements; providing that certain
78 career offenders shall be considered for removal of
79 registration requirements in certain circumstances;
80 revising the location in which a career offender may
81 petition for removal; requiring notice to the
82 Department of Law Enforcement of such petition within
83 a certain time period; authorizing the Department of
84 Law Enforcement to present evidence in opposition to
85 removal; revising the circumstances in which a sheriff
86 or chief of police may notify the community of the
87 presence of a career offender; prohibiting the
88 Department of Law Enforcement from publicly displaying
89 information about a vehicle owned by a person who is
90 not required to register as a career offender;
91 revising the manner in which career offender addresses
92 are verified and reported by law enforcement agencies;
93 expanding information of which a failure to report can
94 result in a criminal offense; providing that a career
95 offender commits a separate offense for each failure
96 to register or report a piece of information;
97 expanding the jurisdictions in which a career offender
98 may be prosecuted for an act or omission; specifying
99 what events constitute actual notice of the duty to
100 register; providing that the failure to immediately
101 register upon the occurrence of such events is grounds
102 for a subsequent charge of failure to register;
103 restricting a career offender from claiming a lack of
104 notice as a defense in certain circumstances;
105 enhancing the penalty for assisting in career offender
106 noncompliance; amending s. 944.608, F.S.; providing
107 definitions; requiring certain career offenders under
108 the supervision of the Department of Corrections to
109 provide certain information after sentencing;
110 requiring the Department of Corrections to report to
111 the Department of Law Enforcement any failure of a
112 career offender to comply with registration
113 requirements; requiring a career offender to report to
114 the sheriff's office any vehicle changes within a
115 certain period of time; revising the information the
116 Department of Corrections is required to provide to
117 the Department of Law Enforcement relating to career
118 offenders; requiring the custodian of a jail to notify
119 the Department of Law Enforcement within a certain
120 period of time if such custodian has a career offender
121 in his or her custody and upon release of such
122 offender; requiring such custodian to take a digitized
123 photograph of the career offender and provide it to
124 the Department of Law Enforcement; providing that a
125 federal agency responsible for supervising a career
126 offender may forward certain information about the
127 offender to the Department of Law Enforcement;
128 providing that such federal agency may indicate
129 whether use of the information is restricted to law
130 enforcement purposes only or may be used for purposes
131 of public notification; requiring a certain driver
132 license or identification marking for a career
133 offender who is under supervision but it not
134 incarcerated; expanding the jurisdictions in which a
135 career offender may be prosecuted for an act or
136 omission; specifying what events constitute actual
137 notice of the duty to register; providing that the
138 failure to immediately register upon the occurrence of
139 such events is grounds for a subsequent charge of
140 failure to register; restricting a career offender
141 from claiming a lack of notice as a defense in certain
142 circumstances; creating offenses and penalties for
143 assisting in career offender noncompliance with
144 provisions relating to notification of the Department
145 of Law Enforcement; specifying that such offenses and
146 penalties do not apply if a career offender is
147 incarcerated in or is in the custody of certain
148 facilities; requiring annual reregistration of career
149 offenders during a certain month; specifying
150 information that a career offender must provide upon
151 reregistration; amending s. 944.609, F.S.; providing
152 definitions; providing legislative findings;
153 specifying information the Department of Corrections
154 must provide upon release of a career offender within
155 a certain period of time; requiring the Department of
156 Corrections or any law enforcement agency to notify
157 the community of the presence of a sexual predator in
158 the community when a career offender who is also
159 designated as a sexual predator is in such community;
160 providing an effective date.
162 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
164 Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 322.141, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
166 322.141 Color or markings of certain licenses or
167 identification cards.—
168 (3) All licenses for the operation of motor vehicles or
169 identification cards originally issued or reissued by the
170 department to persons who are designated as sexual predators
171 under s. 775.21 or subject to registration as sexual offenders
172 under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607, or who have a similar
173 designation or are subject to a similar registration under the
174 laws of another jurisdiction, or who are designated as career
175 offenders under s. 775.261 or s. 944.608, shall have on the
176 front of the license or identification card the following:
177 (a) For a person designated as a sexual predator under s.
178 775.21 or who has a similar designation under the laws of
179 another jurisdiction, the marking "SEXUAL PREDATOR."
180 (b) For a person subject to registration as a sexual
181 offender under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607, or subject to a
182 similar registration under the laws of another jurisdiction, the
183 marking "943.0435, F.S."
184 (c) For a person designated as a career offender under s.
185 775.261 or s. 944.608, the marking "775.261, F.S." This
186 paragraph applies only while the person is under the supervision
187 of the Department of Corrections.
188 (4)(a) Unless previously secured or updated, each sexual
189 offender and sexual predator shall report to the department
190 during the month of his or her reregistration as required under
191 s. 775.21(8), s. 943.0435(14), or s. 944.607(13) in order to
192 obtain an updated or renewed driver license or identification
193 card as required by subsection (3).
194 (b) Unless previously secured or updated as required by
195 subsection (3), each career offender shall report to the
196 department during the month of his or her birth in order to
197 obtain an updated or renewed driver license or identification
198 card as required by subsection (3).
199 Section 2. Section 775.261, Florida Statutes, is amended
200 to read:
201 775.261 The Florida Career Offender Registration Act.—
202 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as "The Florida
203 Career Offender Registration Act."
204 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
205 (a) "Career offender" means any person who is designated
206 as a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career
207 criminal, or a three-time violent felony offender under s.
208 775.084 or as a prison releasee reoffender under s. 775.082(9).
209 (b) "Chief of police" means the chief law enforcement
210 officer of a municipality.
211 (c) "Community" means any county where the career offender
212 lives or otherwise establishes or maintains a permanent,
213 temporary, or transient permanent residence.
214 (d) "Department" means the Department of Law Enforcement.
215 (e) "Entering the county" includes being discharged from a
216 correctional facility, jail, or secure treatment facility within
217 the county or being under supervision within the county with a
218 career-offender designation as specified in paragraph (a).
219 (f) "Permanent residence" means a place where the career
220 offender abides, lodges, or resides for 3 14 or more consecutive
221 days that is the person's home or other place where the person
222 primarily lives. For the purpose of calculating a permanent
223 residence under this paragraph, the first day that a career
224 offender abides, lodges, or resides at a place is excluded and
225 each subsequent day is counted. A day includes any part of a
226 calendar day.
227 (g) "Professional license" means the document of
228 authorization or certification issued by an agency of this state
229 for a regulatory purpose, or by any similar agency in another
230 jurisdiction for a regulatory purpose, to a person to engage in
231 an occupation or to carry out a trade or business.
232 (h)1.(g) "Temporary residence" means:
233 1. a place where the career offender abides, lodges, or
234 resides, including, but not limited to, vacation, business, or
235 personal travel destinations in or out of this state, for 3 a
236 period of 14 or more days in the aggregate during any calendar
237 year that and which is not the person's career offender's
238 permanent or transient residence. The term includes an in-state
239 travel residence. address;
240 2. For a career offender whose permanent residence is not
241 in this state, the term also includes a place where the career
242 offender is employed, practices a vocation, or is enrolled as a
243 student for any period of time in this state. For the purpose of
244 calculating a temporary residence under this paragraph, the
245 first day that a career offender abides, lodges, or resides at a
246 place is excluded and each subsequent day is counted. A day
247 includes any part of a calendar day.; or
248 2. The term includes an "in-state travel residence," which
249 means a temporary residence in this state established by a
250 person who already has an existing permanent, temporary, or
251 transient residence in this state.
252 3. A place where the career offender routinely abides,
253 lodges, or resides for a period of 4 or more consecutive or
254 nonconsecutive days in any month and which is not the career
255 offender's permanent residence, including any out-of-state
256 address.
257 (i) "Transient residence" means a county where the career
258 offender lives, remains, or is located for the purpose of
259 abiding, lodging, or residing for a period of 3 or more days in
260 the aggregate during a calendar year that is not the person's
261 permanent or temporary residence. The term includes, but is not
262 limited to, a place where the career offender sleeps or seeks
263 shelter and a location that has no specific street address. For
264 the purpose of calculating a transient residence under this
265 paragraph, the first day that a career offender lives, remains,
266 or is located in a county for the purpose of abiding, lodging,
267 or residing is excluded and each subsequent day is counted. A
268 day includes any part of a calendar day.
269 (j) "Vehicles owned" means any motor vehicle as defined in
270 s. 320.01 which is registered, coregistered, leased, titled, or
271 rented by a career offender; a rented vehicle that a career
272 offender is authorized to drive; or a vehicle for which a career
273 offender is insured as a driver. The term also includes any
274 motor vehicle as defined in s. 320.01 which is registered,
275 coregistered, leased, titled, or rented by a person or persons
276 residing at a career offender's permanent residence for 5 or
277 more consecutive days.
278 (3) CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION AS A CAREER OFFENDER.—
279 (a) A career offender released on or after July 1, 2002,
280 from a sanction imposed in this state must register as required
281 under this section subsection (4) and is subject to community
282 and public notification as provided under subsection (11) (5).
283 If no sanction is imposed, the person is deemed to be released
284 upon conviction. For purposes of this section, a sanction
285 imposed in this state means includes, but is not limited to, a
286 fine, probation, community control, parole, conditional release,
287 control release, or incarceration in a state prison, federal
288 prison, contractor-operated correctional facility, or local
289 detention facility, and:
290 1. The career offender has not received a pardon for any
291 felony or other qualified offense that is necessary for the
292 operation of this paragraph; or
293 2. A conviction of a felony or other qualified offense
294 necessary to the operation of this paragraph has not been set
295 aside in any postconviction proceeding.
296 (b) This section does not apply to any person who has been
297 designated as a sexual predator and who is required to register
298 under s. 775.21 or who is required to register as a sexual
299 offender under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607. However, if a person
300 is no longer required to register as a sexual predator under s.
301 775.21 or as a sexual offender under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607,
302 the person must register as a career offender under this section
303 if the person is otherwise designated as a career offender as
304 provided in this section.
305 (c) A person subject to registration as a career offender
306 is not subject to registration as a convicted felon under s.
307 775.13. However, if the person is no longer required to register
308 as a career offender under this section, the person must
309 register under s. 775.13 if required to do so under that
310 section.
311 (d) If a career offender is not sentenced to a term of
312 imprisonment, the clerk of the court shall ensure that the
313 career offender's fingerprints are taken and forwarded to the
314 department within 48 hours after the court renders its finding
315 that an offender is a career offender. The fingerprints shall be
316 clearly marked, "Career Offender Registration."
317 (4) INITIAL REGISTRATION.—Upon initial registration, a
318 career offender shall:
319 (a) Report in person at A career offender must register
320 with the department by providing the following information to
321 the department, or to the sheriff's office:
322 1. In the county in which the career offender establishes
323 or maintains a permanent, or temporary, or transient residence,
324 within 48 hours 2 working days after:
325 a. Establishing a permanent, or temporary, or transient
326 residence in this state; or
327 b. Within 2 working days after Being released from the
328 custody, control, or supervision of the Department of
329 Corrections or from the custody of a contractor-operated
330 correctional facility or local detention facility; or:
331 2. In the county where he or she was convicted within 48
332 hours after being convicted for a qualifying offense for
333 registration under this section if the offender is not in the
334 custody or control of, or under the supervision of, the
335 Department of Corrections, or is not in the custody of a
336 contractor-operated correctional facility or local detention
337 facility.
338 (b)1. Provide his or her name;, social security number;,
339 age, race; sex;, gender, date of birth;, height;, weight;, hair
340 and eye color; tattoos or other identifying marks; fingerprints;
341 palm prints;, photograph;, employment information, including
342 occupation, business name, employment address, and telephone
343 number; address of permanent or legal residence and address of
344 any current temporary residence, within the state or out of
345 state, including a rural route address and or a post office box;
346 if he or she has no permanent or temporary address, any
347 transient residence within this state; address, location or
348 description, and dates of any current or known future temporary
349 residence within this state or out of state; the make, model,
350 color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license tag
351 number of all vehicles owned; all home telephone numbers and
352 cellular telephone numbers;, date and place of any employment,
353 date and place of each conviction;, fingerprints, and a brief
354 description of the crime or crimes committed by the career
355 offender. A career offender may not provide a post office box
356 may not be provided in lieu of a physical residential address.
357 The career offender shall also produce his or her passport, if
358 he or she has a passport, and, if he or she is an alien, shall
359 produce or provide information about documents establishing his
360 or her immigration status. The career offender shall also
361 provide information about any professional licenses he or she
362 has.
363 2. If the career offender's place of residence is a motor
364 vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home, as those
365 terms are defined in chapter 320, the career offender shall also
366 provide to the department through the sheriff's office written
367 notice of the vehicle identification number (VIN); the license
368 tag number; the registration number; and a description,
369 including color scheme, of the motor vehicle, trailer, mobile
370 home, or manufactured home. If a career offender's place of
371 residence is a vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat, as
372 those terms are defined in chapter 327, the career offender
373 shall also provide to the department through the sheriff's
374 office written notice of the hull identification number; the
375 manufacturer's serial number; the name of the vessel, live-
376 aboard vessel, or houseboat; the registration number of the
377 vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat; and a description,
378 including color scheme, of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or
379 houseboat.
380 3. Any change in any of the information required to be
381 provided pursuant to this paragraph, including, but not limited
382 to, any change in the career offender's permanent, temporary, or
383 transient residence; name; home telephone numbers and cellular
384 telephone numbers; employment information; and vehicles owned
385 after the career offender reports in person at the sheriff's
386 office must be reported in the manner provided in subsections
387 (5)-(8).
388 (c)2. Provide any other information determined necessary
389 by the department, including criminal and corrections records;
390 nonprivileged personnel and treatment records; and evidentiary
391 genetic markers, when available. When
392 (b) If a career offender registers with the sheriff's
393 office, the sheriff shall take a photograph, and a set of
394 fingerprints, and palm prints of the career offender and forward
395 the photographs, and fingerprints, and palm prints to the
396 department, along with the information that the career offender
397 is required to provide pursuant to this section. The sheriff
398 shall promptly provide to the department the information
399 received from the career offender.
400 (d)(c) Within 48 hours 2 working days after the report
401 registration required under this subsection paragraph (a), a
402 career offender who is not incarcerated and who resides in the
403 community, including a career offender under the supervision of
404 the Department of Corrections pursuant to s. 944.608, shall
405 report register in person at a driver license office of the
406 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, unless a driver
407 license or identification card that complies with s. 322.141(3)
408 was previously secured or updated under s. 944.608 and shall
409 present proof of registration. At the driver license office, the
410 career offender shall:
411 1. If otherwise qualified, secure a Florida driver
412 license, renew a Florida driver license, or secure an
413 identification card. The career offender shall identify himself
414 or herself as a career offender who is required to comply with
415 this section and shall provide proof that the career offender
416 reported as required in this subsection. The career offender
417 shall provide any of the information specified in this
418 subsection, if requested. The career offender shall submit to
419 the taking of a photograph for use in issuing a driver license,
420 renewed license, or identification card, and for use by the
421 department in maintaining current records of career offenders,
422 provide his or her place of permanent or temporary residence,
423 including a rural route address or a post office box, and submit
424 to the taking of a photograph for use in issuing a driver
425 license, renewed license, or identification card, and for use by
426 the department in maintaining current records of career
427 offenders. The career offender may not provide a post office box
428 in lieu of a physical residential address. If the career
429 offender's place of residence is a motor vehicle, trailer,
430 mobile home, or manufactured home, as defined in chapter 320,
431 the career offender shall also provide to the Department of
432 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles the vehicle identification
433 number; the license tag number; the motor vehicle registration
434 number; and a description, including color scheme, of the motor
435 vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home. If a career
436 offender's place of residence is a vessel, live-aboard vessel,
437 or houseboat, as defined in chapter 327, the career offender
438 shall also provide to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
439 Vehicles the hull identification number; the manufacturer's
440 serial number; the name of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or
441 houseboat; the registration number; and a description, including
442 color scheme, of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat.
443 2. Pay the costs assessed by the Department of Highway
444 Safety and Motor Vehicles for issuing or renewing a driver
445 license or identification card as required by this section. The
446 driver license or identification card issued must be in
447 compliance with s. 322.141(3).
448 3. Provide, upon request, any additional information
449 necessary to confirm the identity of the career offender,
450 including a set of fingerprints.
451 (5) MAINTAINING REGISTRATION.—
452 (a)(d) Each time a career offender's driver license or
453 identification card is subject to renewal, and, without regard
454 to the status of the career offender's driver license or
455 identification card, within 48 hours 2 working days after any
456 change of the career offender's residence or change in the
457 career offender's name by reason of marriage or other legal
458 process, the career offender must report in person to a driver
459 license office, and shall be subject to the requirements
460 specified in paragraph (4)(d) (c). The Department of Highway
461 Safety and Motor Vehicles shall forward to the department and to
462 the Department of Corrections all photographs and information
463 provided by career offenders. Notwithstanding the restrictions
464 set forth in s. 322.142, the Department of Highway Safety and
465 Motor Vehicles may release a reproduction of a color-photograph
466 or digital-image license to the department for purposes of
467 public notification of career offenders as provided in this
468 section and ss. 775.26 and 944.609. A career offender who is
469 unable to secure or update a driver license or an identification
470 card with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as
471 provided in paragraph (4)(d) and this subsection shall report
472 any change in the career offender's name by reason of marriage
473 or other legal process within 48 hours after the change in
474 person to the sheriff's office in the county where the career
475 offender resides or is located. The reporting requirements under
476 this paragraph do not negate the requirement for a career
477 offender to obtain a Florida driver license or an identification
478 card as required in this section.
479 (b) A career offender shall report in person to the
480 sheriff's office within 48 hours after any change in vehicles
481 owned to report those vehicle information changes.
482 (c) A career offender shall register all changes to home
483 telephone numbers and cellular telephone numbers, including
484 added and deleted numbers, and all changes to employment
485 information, including the creation of a new business if self-
486 employed, in person at the sheriff's office, or in person at the
487 Department of Corrections if the career offender is in the
488 custody or control, or under the supervision, of the Department
489 of Corrections. All changes required to be reported under this
490 paragraph must be reported within 48 hours after the change.
491 (d) If the career offender is in the custody of a local
492 jail, the custodian of the local jail shall notify the
493 department within 3 business days after intake of the career
494 offender for any reason and upon release. The custodian of the
495 local jail shall also take a digitized photograph of the career
496 offender while the career offender remains in custody and shall
497 provide the digitized photograph to the department. The
498 custodian shall notify the department if the career offender
499 escapes from custody or dies.
500 (6) ESTABLISHING A RESIDENCE WITHIN THIS STATE AFTER
501 INITIAL REGISTRATION.—
502 (a) Each time a career offender's driver license or
503 identification card is subject to renewal, and, without regard
504 to the status of the career offender's driver license or
505 identification card, within 48 hours after any change in the
506 career offender's permanent, temporary, or transient residence,
507 the career offender must report in person to a driver license
508 office and shall be subject to the requirements specified in
509 paragraph (4)(d). The Department of Highway Safety and Motor
510 Vehicles shall forward to the department and to the Department
511 of Corrections all photographs and information provided by
512 career offenders. Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in
513 s. 322.142, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
514 may release a reproduction of a color-photograph or digital-
515 image license to the department for purposes of public
516 notification of career offenders as provided in this section and
517 ss. 775.26 and 944.609. A career offender who is unable to
518 secure or update a driver license or an identification card with
519 the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as provided
520 in paragraph (4)(d) and this subsection shall report any change
521 in the career offender's permanent, temporary, or transient
522 residence within 48 hours after the change in person to the
523 sheriff's office in the county where the career offender resides
524 or is located. The reporting requirements under this paragraph
525 do not negate the requirement for a career offender to obtain a
526 Florida driver license or an identification card as required in
527 this section. This paragraph does not apply to an in-state
528 travel residence.
529 (b) A career offender shall report an in-state travel
530 residence within 48 hours after establishing the residence. The
531 report shall be made in person at the sheriff's office in the
532 county in which the career offender is located, or in person at
533 the Department of Corrections if the career offender is in the
534 custody or control, or under the supervision of, the Department
535 of Corrections.
536 (c) A career offender who vacates a permanent, temporary,
537 or transient residence and fails to establish or maintain
538 another permanent, temporary, or transient residence shall,
539 within 48 hours after vacating the permanent, temporary, or
540 transient residence, report in person to the sheriff's office of
541 the county in which he or she is located. The career offender
542 shall specify the date upon which he or she intends to or did
543 vacate such residence. The career offender must provide or
544 update all of the registration information required under
545 paragraph (4)(b). The career offender must provide an address
546 for the residence or other place where he or she is or will be
547 located during the time in which he or she fails to establish or
548 maintain a permanent, temporary, or transient residence.
549 (d) A career offender who remains at a permanent,
550 temporary, or transient residence after reporting his or her
551 intent to vacate such residence shall, within 48 hours after the
552 date upon which the career offender indicated he or she would or
553 did vacate such residence, report in person to the agency to
554 which he or she reported pursuant to paragraph (c) for the
555 purpose of reporting his or her address at such residence. When
556 the sheriff receives the report, the sheriff shall promptly
557 provide the information to the department. An offender who makes
558 a report as required under paragraph (c) but fails to make a
559 report as required under this paragraph commits a felony of the
560 second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
561 or s. 775.084.
562 (7) ESTABLISHING A NON-FLORIDA RESIDENCE.—
563 (e) If the career offender registers at an office of the
564 department, the department must notify the sheriff and, if
565 applicable, the police chief of the municipality, where the
566 career offender maintains a residence within 48 hours after the
567 career offender registers with the department.
568 (a)(f) A career offender who intends to establish a
569 permanent, temporary, or transient residence in another state or
570 jurisdiction other than the State of Florida shall report in
571 person to the sheriff of the county of current residence at
572 least 48 hours or the department within 2 working days before
573 the date he or she intends to leave this state to establish
574 residence in another state or jurisdiction other than the State
575 of Florida. Any travel that is not known by the career offender
576 48 hours before he or she intends to establish a residence in
577 another state or jurisdiction must be reported in person to the
578 sheriff's office as soon as possible before departure. If the
579 career offender is under the supervision of the Department of
580 Corrections, the career offender shall notify the supervising
581 probation officer of his or her intent to transfer supervision,
582 satisfy all transfer requirements pursuant to the Interstate
583 Compact for Supervision of Adult Offenders, as provided in s.
584 949.07, and abide by the decision of the receiving jurisdiction
585 to accept or deny transfer. The career offender must provide to
586 the sheriff or department the address, municipality, county, and
587 state or jurisdiction of intended residence. The sheriff shall
588 promptly provide to the department the information received from
589 the career offender. The failure of a career offender to provide
590 his or her intended place of residence is punishable as provided
591 in subsection (13) (8).
592 (b)(g) A career offender who indicates his or her intent
593 to establish a permanent, temporary, or transient residence
594 reside in another a state or jurisdiction other than the State
595 of Florida and later decides to remain in this state shall,
596 within 48 hours 2 working days after the date upon which the
597 career offender indicated he or she would leave this state,
598 report in person to the sheriff's office sheriff or the
599 department, whichever agency is the agency to which the career
600 offender reported the intended change of permanent, temporary,
601 or transient residence and report, of his or her intent to
602 remain in this state. If the sheriff is notified by the career
603 offender that he or she intends to remain in this state, The
604 sheriff shall promptly report this information to the
605 department. A career offender who reports his or her intent to
606 establish a permanent, temporary, or transient residence reside
607 in another a state or jurisdiction other than the State of
608 Florida, but who remains in this state without reporting to the
609 sheriff or the department in the manner required by this
610 paragraph, commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as
611 provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
612 (8) ANNUAL REREGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.—
613 (a) A career offender must report in person each year
614 during the month of the career offender's birthday to the
615 sheriff's office in the county in which he or she maintains a
616 permanent, temporary, or transient residence or is otherwise
617 located to reregister.
618 (b) The sheriff's office may determine the appropriate
619 times and days for reporting by the career offender, which must
620 be consistent with the reporting requirements of this
621 subsection. Reregistration must include any changes to the
622 following information:
623 1. Name; social security number; race; sex; date of birth;
624 height; weight; hair and eye color; tattoos or other identifying
625 marks; fingerprints; palm prints; photograph; employment
626 information, including occupation, business name, employment
627 address, and telephone number; address of permanent residence
628 and address of any current temporary residence, within the state
629 or out of state, including a rural route address and a post
630 office box; if he or she has no permanent or temporary address,
631 any transient residence within this state; address, location or
632 description, and dates of any current or known future temporary
633 residence within the state or out of state; the make, model,
634 color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license tag
635 number of all vehicles owned; and all home telephone numbers and
636 cellular telephone numbers. A post office box may not be
637 provided in lieu of a physical residential address. The career
638 offender shall also produce his or her passport, if he or she
639 has a passport, and, if he or she is an alien, shall produce or
640 provide information about documents establishing his or her
641 immigration status. The career offender shall also provide
642 information about any professional licenses he or she has.
643 2. If the career offender's place of residence is a motor
644 vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home, as those
645 terms are defined in chapter 320, the career offender shall also
646 provide the vehicle identification number (VIN); the license tag
647 number; the registration number; and a description, including
648 color scheme, of the motor vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or
649 manufactured home. If the career offender's place of residence
650 is a vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat, as those terms
651 are defined in chapter 327, the career offender shall also
652 provide the hull identification number; the manufacturer's
653 serial number; the name of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or
654 houseboat; the registration number of the vessel, live-aboard
655 vessel, or houseboat; and a description, including color scheme,
656 of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat.
657 (c) The sheriff's office shall electronically submit to
658 and update with the department, in a manner prescribed by the
659 department, all such information provided by the career offender
660 within 2 business days after the career offender provides it to
661 the sheriff's office.
662 (9) VERIFICATION.—County and local law enforcement
663 agencies, in conjunction with the department, shall verify the
664 addresses of career offenders who are not under the care,
665 custody, control, or supervision of the Department of
666 Corrections at least one time per calendar year, and may verify
667 the addresses of career offenders who are under the care,
668 custody, control, or supervision of the Department of
669 Corrections. Local law enforcement agencies shall report to the
670 department any failure by a career offender to comply with
671 registration requirements.
672 (h)1. The department shall maintain online computer access
673 to the current information regarding each registered career
674 offender. The department must maintain hotline access so that
675 state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies may obtain
676 instantaneous locator file and criminal characteristics
677 information on release and registration of career offenders for
678 purposes of monitoring, tracking, and prosecution. The
679 photograph and fingerprints need not be stored in a computerized
680 format.
681 2. The department's career offender registration list,
682 containing the information described in subparagraph (a)1., is a
683 public record. The department may disseminate this public
684 information by any means deemed appropriate, including operating
685 a toll-free telephone number for this purpose. When the
686 department provides information regarding a career offender to
687 the public, department personnel must advise the person making
688 the inquiry that positive identification of a person believed to
689 be a career offender cannot be established unless a fingerprint
690 comparison is made, and that it is illegal to use public
691 information regarding a career offender to facilitate the
692 commission of a crime.
693 3. The department shall adopt guidelines as necessary
694 regarding the registration of a career offender and the
695 dissemination of information regarding a career offender as
696 required by this section.
697 (10)(i) RELIEF FROM REGISTRATION.—A career offender must
698 maintain registration with the department for the duration of
699 his or her life, unless the career offender has received a full
700 pardon or has had a conviction set aside in a postconviction
701 proceeding for any offense or offenses that meet meets the
702 criteria for classifying the person as a career offender for
703 purposes of registration. However, a registered career offender
704 shall be considered for removal of the requirement to register
705 as a career offender only if he or she who has been lawfully
706 released from confinement, supervision, or sanction, whichever
707 is later, for at least 20 years and has not been arrested for
708 any felony or misdemeanor offense since release.
709 (a) If the career offender meets the criteria in this
710 subsection, the career offender may, for the purpose of removing
711 the requirement for registration as a career offender, petition
712 the criminal division of the circuit court of the circuit in
713 which the registered career offender designation initially
714 occurred resides for the purpose of removing the requirement for
715 registration as a career offender.
716 (b) The court may grant or deny such relief if the
717 registered career offender demonstrates to the court that he or
718 she has not been arrested for any crime since release and the
719 court is otherwise satisfied that the registered career offender
720 is not a current or potential threat to public safety. The
721 department and the state attorney in the circuit in which the
722 petition is filed must be given notice of the petition at least
723 3 weeks before the hearing on the matter. The department and the
724 state attorney may present evidence in opposition to the
725 requested relief or may otherwise demonstrate the reasons why
726 the petition should be denied. If the court denies the petition,
727 the court may set a future date at which the registered career
728 offender may again petition the court for relief, subject to the
729 standards for relief provided in this subsection paragraph.
730 (c) The department shall remove a person from
731 classification as a career offender for purposes of registration
732 if the person provides to the department a certified copy of the
733 court's written findings or order that indicates that the person
734 is no longer required to comply with the requirements for
735 registration as a career offender.
736 (11)(5) COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.—
737 (a) Law enforcement agencies may inform the community and
738 the public of the presence of a career offender in the
739 community. Upon notification of the presence of a career
740 offender, the sheriff of the county or the chief of police of
741 the municipality where the career offender establishes or
742 maintains a permanent, or temporary, or transient residence may
743 notify the community and the public of the presence of the
744 career offender in a manner deemed appropriate by the sheriff or
745 the chief of police.
746 (b) The sheriff or the police chief may coordinate the
747 community and public notification efforts with the department.
748 Statewide notification to the public is authorized, as deemed
749 appropriate by local law enforcement personnel and the
750 department.
751 (c)1. The department is responsible for the online
752 maintenance of the current information regarding each career
753 offender. The department must maintain hotline access for state,
754 local, and federal law enforcement agencies to obtain
755 instantaneous locator file and criminal characteristics
756 information on release and registration of career offenders for
757 the purposes of monitoring, tracking, and prosecution. The
758 photograph and fingerprints need not be stored in a computerized
759 format.
760 2. The department's career offender registration list is a
761 public record. The department may disseminate this public
762 information by any means deemed appropriate, including operating
763 a toll-free telephone number for this purpose. When the
764 department provides information regarding a career offender to
765 the public, department personnel must advise the person making
766 the inquiry that positive identification of a person believed to
767 be a career offender cannot be established unless a fingerprint
768 comparison is made, and that it is illegal to use public
769 information regarding a career offender to facilitate the
770 commission of a crime.
771 3. The department shall adopt guidelines as necessary
772 regarding the registration of a career offender and the
773 dissemination of information regarding a career offender as
774 required by this section. However, the department may not
775 display on or disseminate through the Internet public registry
776 maintained by the department any information regarding a vehicle
777 that is owned by a person who is not required to register as a
778 career offender.
779 (6) VERIFICATION.—The department and the Department of
780 Corrections shall implement a system for verifying the addresses
781 of career offenders. The sheriff of each county shall annually
782 verify the addresses of career offenders who are not under the
783 care, custody, control, or supervision of the Department of
784 Corrections. The sheriff shall promptly provide the address
785 verification information to the department in an electronic
786 format. The address verification information must include the
787 verifying person's name, agency, and phone number, the date of
788 verification, and the method of verification, and must specify
789 whether the address information was verified as correct,
790 incorrect, or unconfirmed.
791 (12)(7) IMMUNITY.—The department, the Department of
792 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Department of
793 Corrections, any law enforcement agency in this state, and the
794 personnel of those departments; an elected or appointed
795 official, public employee, or school administrator; or an
796 employee, agency, or any individual or entity acting at the
797 request or upon the direction of any law enforcement agency is
798 immune from civil liability for damages for good faith
799 compliance with the requirements of this section or for the
800 release of information under this section and shall be presumed
801 to have acted in good faith in compiling, recording, reporting,
802 or releasing the information. The presumption of good faith is
803 not overcome if a technical or clerical error is made by the
804 department, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles,
805 the Department of Corrections, the personnel of those
806 departments, or any individual or entity acting at the request
807 or upon the direction of any of those departments in compiling
808 or providing information, or if information is incomplete or
809 incorrect because a career offender fails to report or falsely
810 reports his or her current place of permanent, or temporary, or
811 transient residence.
812 (13)(8) PENALTIES.—
813 (a) Except as otherwise specifically provided, a career
814 offender who fails to register; who fails, after registration,
815 to maintain, acquire, or renew a driver license or an
816 identification card; who fails to provide required location
817 information or change-of-name information; who fails to provide
818 all home telephone numbers and cellular telephone numbers; who
819 fails to report any changes to employment information, including
820 the addition of new employment, termination of existing
821 employment, and changes to the occupation, business name,
822 employment address, and telephone number of previously reported
823 employment; who fails to report any changes to vehicles owned,
824 including the addition of new vehicles and changes to the make,
825 model, color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license
826 tag numbers of previously reported vehicles; who fails to make a
827 required report in connection with vacating a permanent
828 residence; who fails to reregister as required; who fails to
829 respond to any address verification correspondence from the
830 department or from county or local law enforcement agencies
831 within 3 weeks after the date of the correspondence; who
832 knowingly provides false registration information by act or
833 omission; or who otherwise fails, by act or omission, to comply
834 with the requirements of this section, commits a felony of the
835 third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
836 or s. 775.084. Each instance of failure to register or report
837 changes to the required information specified in this paragraph
838 constitutes a separate offense.
839 (b) A career offender who commits any act or omission in
840 violation of this section, s. 944.608, or s. 944.609 may be
841 prosecuted for the act or omission in the county in which the
842 act or omission was committed, in the county of the last
843 registered address of the career offender, in the county in
844 which the conviction occurred for the offense or offenses that
845 meet the criteria for designating a person as a career offender,
846 in the county in which he or she was designated a career
847 offender, in the county where the career offender was released
848 from incarceration, or in the county of the intended address of
849 the career offender as reported by the offender before his or
850 her release from incarceration.
851 (c) An arrest on charges of failure to register when the
852 career offender has been provided and advised of his or her
853 statutory obligations to register under this section, the
854 service of an information or a complaint for a violation of this
855 section, or an arraignment on charges for a violation of this
856 section constitutes actual notice of the duty to register. A
857 career offender's failure to register immediately as required by
858 this section following such arrest, service, or arraignment
859 constitutes grounds for a subsequent charge of failure to
860 register. A career offender charged with the crime of failure to
861 register who asserts, or intends to assert, a lack of notice of
862 the duty to register as a defense to a charge of failure to
863 register shall immediately register as required by this section.
864 A career offender who is charged with a subsequent failure to
865 register may not assert the defense of a lack of notice of the
866 duty to register. Registration following such arrest, service,
867 or arraignment is not a defense and does not relieve the career
868 offender of criminal liability for the failure to register.
869 (d)(b) Any person who misuses public records information
870 concerning a career offender, as defined in this section, or a
871 career offender, as defined in s. 944.608 or s. 944.609, to
872 secure a payment from such career offender; who knowingly
873 distributes or publishes false information concerning such a
874 career offender which the person misrepresents as being public
875 records information; or who materially alters public records
876 information with the intent to misrepresent the information,
877 including documents, summaries of public records information
878 provided by law enforcement agencies, or public records
879 information displayed by law enforcement agencies on websites or
880 provided through other means of communication, commits a
881 misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
882 775.082 or s. 775.083.
883 (9) PROSECUTIONS FOR ACTS OR OMISSIONS.—A career offender
884 who commits any act or omission in violation of this section, s.
885 944.608, or s. 944.609 may be prosecuted for the act or omission
886 in the county in which the act or omission was committed, the
887 county of the last registered address of the career offender,
888 the county in which the conviction occurred for the offense or
889 offenses that meet the criteria for designating a person as a
890 career offender, or in the county in which he or she was
891 designated a career offender.
892 (14)(10) PENALTIES FOR ASSISTING IN CAREER OFFENDER
893 NONCOMPLIANCE.—Any It is a misdemeanor of the first degree,
894 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, for a person
895 who has reason to believe that a career offender is not
896 complying, or has not complied, with the requirements of this
897 section and who, with the intent to assist the career offender
898 in eluding a law enforcement agency that is seeking to find the
899 career offender to question the career offender about, or to
900 arrest the career offender for, his or her noncompliance with
901 the requirements of this section, to:
902 (a) Withholds Withhold information from, or does not fail
903 to notify, the law enforcement agency about the career
904 offender's noncompliance with the requirements of this section
905 and, if known, the whereabouts of the career offender;
906 (b) Harbors Harbor or attempts attempt to harbor, or
907 assists assist another person in harboring or attempting to
908 harbor, the career offender;
909 (c) Conceals Conceal or attempts attempt to conceal, or
910 assists assist another person in concealing or attempting to
911 conceal, the career offender; or
912 (d) Provides Provide information to the law enforcement
913 agency regarding the career offender which the person knows to
914 be false information,
916 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
917 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
918 Section 3. Section 944.608, Florida Statutes, is amended
919 to read:
920 944.608 Notification to Department of Law Enforcement of
921 information on career offenders.—
922 (1) As used in this section, the term:
923 (a) "Career offender" means a person who is in the custody
924 or control of, or under the supervision of, the department or is
925 in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of, a
926 contractor-operated correctional facility, and who is designated
927 as a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career
928 criminal, or a three-time violent felony offender under s.
929 775.084 or as a prison releasee reoffender under s. 775.082(9).
930 (b) "Permanent residence," "temporary residence," and
931 "transient residence" have the same meaning as provided in s.
932 775.261.
933 (c) "Professional license" has the same meaning as
934 provided in s. 775.261.
935 (d) "Vehicles owned" has the same meaning as provided in s.
936 775.261.
937 (2) If a career offender is not sentenced to a term of
938 imprisonment, the clerk of the court shall ensure that the
939 career offender's fingerprints are taken and forwarded to the
940 Department of Law Enforcement within 48 hours after the court
941 sentences the career offender. The fingerprints shall be clearly
942 marked "Career Offender Registration."
943 (3) A career offender, as described in this section, who
944 is under the supervision of the department but is not
945 incarcerated must register with the department within 3 business
946 days after sentencing and provide information as required by
947 this subsection.
948 (a) The career offender shall provide his or her name;
949 date of birth; social security number; race; sex gender; date of
950 birth; height; weight; hair and eye color; tattoos or other
951 identifying marks; employment information required to be
952 provided pursuant to s. 775.261; and permanent or legal
953 residence and address of temporary residence within the state or
954 out of state while the career offender is under supervision in
955 this state, including any rural route address and a or post
956 office box; if no permanent or temporary address, any transient
957 residence within this state; and address, location or
958 description, and dates of any current or known future temporary
959 residence within this state or out of state; the make, model,
960 color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license tag
961 number of all vehicles owned; and all home telephone numbers and
962 cellular telephone numbers required to be provided pursuant to
963 s. 775.261. The career offender shall also produce his or her
964 passport, if he or she has a passport, and, if he or she is an
965 alien, shall produce or provide information about documents
966 establishing his or her immigration status. The career offender
967 shall also provide information about any professional licenses
968 he or she has. The department shall verify the address of each
969 career offender in the manner described in s. 775.261. The
970 department shall report to the Department of Law Enforcement any
971 failure by a career offender to comply with any registration
972 requirements.
973 (b) A career offender shall report in person to the
974 sheriff's office within 48 hours after any change in vehicles
975 owned to report those vehicle information changes.
976 (4) In addition to notification and transmittal
977 requirements imposed by any other provision of law, the
978 department shall compile information on any career offender and
979 provide the information to the Department of Law Enforcement.
980 The information shall be made available electronically to the
981 Department of Law Enforcement as soon as this information is in
982 the department's database and must be in a format that is
983 compatible with the requirements of the Florida Crime
984 Information Center.
985 (5) The information provided to the Department of Law
986 Enforcement must include:
987 (a) The information obtained from the career offender
988 under subsection (3);
989 (b) The career offender's most current address and place
990 of permanent, and temporary, or transient residence or
991 residences within the state or out of state, the address,
992 location or description, and dates of any known future temporary
993 residence within this state or out of state while the career
994 offender is under supervision in this state, including the name
995 of the county or municipality in which the career offender
996 permanently or temporarily resides and, if known, the intended
997 place of permanent, or temporary, or transient residence or
998 residences and the address, location or description, and dates
999 of any current or known future temporary residence within this
1000 state or out of state upon satisfaction of all sanctions;
1001 (c) The legal status of the career offender and the
1002 scheduled termination date of that legal status;
1003 (d) The location of, and local telephone number for, any
1004 Department of Corrections' office that is responsible for
1005 supervising the career offender; and
1006 (e) A digitized photograph of the career offender, which
1007 must have been taken within 60 days before the career offender
1008 is released from the custody of the department or a contractor-
1009 operated correctional facility or within 60 days after the onset
1010 of the department's supervision of any career offender who is on
1011 probation, community control, conditional release, parole,
1012 provisional release, or control release. If the career offender
1013 is in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of, a
1014 contractor-operated correctional facility, the facility shall
1015 take a digitized photograph of the career offender within the
1016 time period provided in this paragraph and shall provide the
1017 photograph to the department.
1018 (6)(a) The department shall notify the Department of Law
1019 Enforcement if the career offender escapes, absconds, or dies
1020 while in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of,
1021 the department.
1022 (b) If any information provided by the department changes
1023 during the time the career offender is under the department's
1024 custody, control, or supervision, including any change in the
1025 career offender's name by reason of marriage or other legal
1026 process, the department shall, in a timely manner, update the
1027 information and provide it to the Department of Law Enforcement
1028 in the manner prescribed in subsection (4).
1029 (7) If the career offender is in the custody of a local
1030 jail, the custodian of the local jail shall notify the
1031 Department of Law Enforcement within 3 business days after
1032 intake of the offender for any reason and upon release, and
1033 shall forward the information to the Department of Law
1034 Enforcement. The custodian of the local jail shall also take a
1035 digitized photograph of the career offender while the career
1036 offender remains in custody and shall provide the digitized
1037 photograph to the Department of Law Enforcement.
1038 (8) If the career offender is under federal supervision,
1039 the federal agency responsible for supervising the career
1040 offender may forward to the Department of Law Enforcement any
1041 information regarding the career offender which is consistent
1042 with the information provided by the department under this
1043 section, and may indicate whether use of the information is
1044 restricted to law enforcement purposes only or may be used by
1045 the Department of Law Enforcement for purposes of public
1046 notification.
1047 (9)(7) A career offender, as described in this section,
1048 who is under the supervision of the department but who is not
1049 incarcerated shall, in addition to the registration requirements
1050 provided in subsection (3), register and obtain a distinctive
1051 driver license or identification card in the manner provided in
1052 s. 775.261 s. 775.261(4)(c), unless the career offender is a
1053 sexual predator, in which case he or she shall register as
1054 required under s. 775.21, or is a sexual offender, in which case
1055 he or she shall register as required in s. 943.0435 or s.
1056 944.607. A career offender who fails to comply with the
1057 requirements of s. 775.261 s. 775.261(4) is subject to the
1058 penalties provided in s. 775.261(13) s. 775.261(8).
1059 (10)(a)(8) The failure of a career offender to submit to
1060 the taking of a digitized photograph, or to otherwise comply
1061 with the requirements of this section, is a felony of the third
1062 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
1063 775.084.
1064 (b) A career offender who commits any act or omission in
1065 violation of this section may be prosecuted for the act or
1066 omission in the county in which the act or omission was
1067 committed, in the county of the last registered address of the
1068 career offender, in the county in which the conviction occurred
1069 for the offense or offenses that meet the criteria for
1070 designating a person as a career offender, in the county in
1071 which he or she was designated a career offender, in the county
1072 where the career offender was released from incarceration, or in
1073 the county of the intended address of the career offender as
1074 reported by the offender before his or her release from
1075 incarceration.
1076 (c) An arrest on charges of failure to register when the
1077 offender has been provided and advised of his or her statutory
1078 obligations to register under s. 775.261, the service of an
1079 information or a complaint for a violation of this section, or
1080 an arraignment on charges for a violation of this section
1081 constitutes actual notice of the duty to register. A career
1082 offender's failure to register immediately as required by this
1083 section following such arrest, service, or arraignment
1084 constitutes grounds for a subsequent charge of failure to
1085 register. A career offender charged with the crime of failure to
1086 register who asserts, or intends to assert, a lack of notice of
1087 the duty to register as a defense to a charge of failure to
1088 register shall register immediately as required by this section.
1089 A career offender who is charged with a subsequent failure to
1090 register may not assert the defense of a lack of notice of the
1091 duty to register.
1092 (d) Registration following such arrest, service, or
1093 arraignment is not a defense and does not relieve the career
1094 offender of criminal liability for the failure to register.
1095 (11)(9) The department, the Department of Highway Safety
1096 and Motor Vehicles, the Department of Law Enforcement, personnel
1097 of those departments, and any individual or entity acting at the
1098 request or upon the direction of those departments are immune
1099 from civil liability for damages for good faith compliance with
1100 this section, and shall be presumed to have acted in good faith
1101 in compiling, recording, reporting, or providing information.
1102 The presumption of good faith is not overcome if technical or
1103 clerical errors are made by the department, the Department of
1104 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Department of Law
1105 Enforcement, personnel of those departments, or any individual
1106 or entity acting at the request or upon the direction of those
1107 departments in compiling, recording, reporting, or providing
1108 information, or, if the information is incomplete or incorrect
1109 because the information has not been provided by a person or
1110 agency required to provide the information, or because the
1111 information was not reported or was falsely reported.
1112 (12) Any person who has reason to believe that a career
1113 offender is not complying, or has not complied, with the
1114 requirements of this section and who, with the intent to assist
1115 the career offender in eluding a law enforcement agency that is
1116 seeking to find the career offender to question the career
1117 offender about, or to arrest the career offender for, his or her
1118 noncompliance with the requirements of this section:
1119 (a) Withholds information from, or does not notify, the
1120 law enforcement agency about the career offender's noncompliance
1121 with the requirements of this section, and, if known, the
1122 whereabouts of the career offender;
1123 (b) Harbors or attempts to harbor, or assists another
1124 person in harboring or attempting to harbor, the career
1125 offender;
1126 (c) Conceals or attempts to conceal, or assists another
1127 person in concealing or attempting to conceal, the career
1128 offender; or
1129 (d) Provides information to the law enforcement agency
1130 regarding the career offender which the person knows to be false
1131 information,
1133 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
1134 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. This subsection does not
1135 apply if the career offender is incarcerated in or is in the
1136 custody of a state correctional facility, a contractor-operated
1137 correctional facility, a local jail, or a federal correctional
1138 facility.
1139 (13)(a) A career offender must report in person each year
1140 during the month of the career offender's birthday to the
1141 sheriff's office in the county in which he or she maintains a
1142 permanent, temporary, or transient residence or is otherwise
1143 located to reregister.
1144 (b) The sheriff's office may determine the appropriate
1145 times and days for reporting by the career offender, which must
1146 be consistent with the reporting requirements of this
1147 subsection. Reregistration must include any changes to the
1148 following information:
1149 1. Name; social security number; race; sex; date of birth;
1150 height; weight; hair and eye color; tattoos or other identifying
1151 marks; fingerprints; palm prints; photograph; employment
1152 information required to be provided pursuant to s. 775.261;
1153 address of permanent residence and address of any current
1154 temporary residence, within the state or out of state, including
1155 a rural route address and a post office box; if no permanent or
1156 temporary address, any transient residence within this state;
1157 address, location or description, and dates of any current or
1158 known future temporary residence within the state or out of
1159 state; the make, model, color, vehicle identification number
1160 (VIN), and license tag number of all vehicles owned; and all
1161 home telephone numbers and cellular telephone numbers required
1162 to be provided pursuant to s. 775.261. A post office box may not
1163 be provided in lieu of a physical residential address. The
1164 career offender shall also produce his or her passport, if he or
1165 she has a passport, and, if he or she is an alien, shall produce
1166 or provide information about documents establishing his or her
1167 immigration status. The career offender shall also provide
1168 information about any professional licenses he or she has.
1169 2. If the career offender's place of residence is a motor
1170 vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home, as those
1171 terms are defined in chapter 320, the career offender shall also
1172 provide the vehicle identification number (VIN); the license tag
1173 number; the registration number; and a description, including
1174 color scheme, of the motor vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or
1175 manufactured home. If the career offender's place of residence
1176 is a vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat, as those terms
1177 are defined in chapter 327, the career offender shall also
1178 provide the hull identification number; the manufacturer's
1179 serial number; the name of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or
1180 houseboat; the registration number of the vessel, live-aboard
1181 vessel, or houseboat; and a description, including color scheme,
1182 of the vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat.
1183 3. Any career offender who fails to report in person as
1184 required at the sheriff's office, who fails to respond to any
1185 address verification correspondence from the department within 3
1186 weeks after the date of the correspondence, or who knowingly
1187 provides false registration information by act or omission
1188 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
1189 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
1190 (c) The sheriff's office shall, within 2 working days,
1191 electronically submit and update all information provided by the
1192 career offender to the Department of Law Enforcement in a manner
1193 prescribed by the Department of Law Enforcement.
1194 Section 4. Section 944.609, Florida Statutes, is amended
1195 to read:
1196 944.609 Career offenders; notification upon release.—
1197 (1) As used in this section, the term:
1198 (a) "Career offender" means a person who is in the custody
1199 or control of, or under the supervision of, the department or is
1200 in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of a
1201 contractor-operated correctional facility, who is designated as
1202 a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career criminal,
1203 or a three-time violent felony offender under s. 775.084 or as a
1204 prison releasee reoffender under s. 775.082(9).
1205 (b) "Permanent residence," "temporary residence," and
1206 "transient residence" have the same meaning as provided in s.
1207 775.261.
1208 (c) "Professional license" has the same meaning as
1209 provided in s. 775.261.
1210 (d) "Vehicles owned" has the same meaning as provided in s.
1211 775.261.
1212 (2) The Legislature finds that certain career offenders,
1213 by virtue of their histories of offenses, present a threat to
1214 the public and to communities. Career offenders have a reduced
1215 expectation of privacy because of the public's interest in
1216 public safety and in the effective operation of government. The
1217 Legislature finds that requiring these career offenders to
1218 register for the purpose of tracking the career offenders and
1219 providing for notifying the public and a community of the
1220 presence of a career offender are important aids to law
1221 enforcement agencies, the public, and communities if the career
1222 offender engages again in criminal conduct. Registration is
1223 intended to aid law enforcement agencies in timely apprehending
1224 a career offender. Registration is not a punishment, but merely
1225 a status. Notification to the public and communities of the
1226 presence of a career offender aids the public and communities in
1227 avoiding being victimized by the career offender. The
1228 Legislature intends to require the registration of career
1229 offenders and to authorize law enforcement agencies to notify
1230 the public and communities of the presence of a career offender.
1231 (3)(a) The department must provide information regarding
1232 any career offender who is being released after serving a period
1233 of incarceration for any offense, as follows:
1234 1. The department must provide the career offender's name,
1235 any change in the career offender's name by reason of marriage
1236 or other legal process, and any alias, if known; the
1237 correctional facility from which the career offender is
1238 released; the career offender's social security number, race,
1239 sex gender, date of birth, height, weight, and hair and eye
1240 color; tattoos or other identifying marks; address of any
1241 planned permanent residence or temporary residence, within this
1242 state or out of state, including a rural route address and a
1243 post office box; if no permanent or temporary address, any
1244 transient residence within this state; address, location or
1245 description, and dates of any current or known future temporary
1246 residence within this state or out of state; date and county of
1247 sentence and each crime for which the career offender was
1248 sentenced; a copy of the career offender's fingerprints, palm
1249 prints, and a digitized photograph taken within 60 days before
1250 release; the date of release of the career offender; employment
1251 information, if known, required to be provided pursuant to s.
1252 775.261; all home telephone numbers and cellular telephone
1253 numbers required to be provided pursuant to s. 775.261;
1254 information about any professional licenses the career offender
1255 has, if known; and passport information, if he or she has a
1256 passport, and, if he or she is an alien, information about the
1257 documents establishing his or her immigration status and the
1258 career offender's intended residence address, if known. The
1259 department shall notify the Department of Law Enforcement if the
1260 career offender escapes, absconds, or dies. If the career
1261 offender is in the custody of a contractor-operated correctional
1262 facility, the facility shall take the digitized photograph of
1263 the career offender within 60 days before the career offender's
1264 release and provide this photograph to the Department of
1265 Corrections and also place it in the career offender's file. If
1266 the career offender is in the custody of a local jail, the
1267 custodian of the local jail shall notify the Department of Law
1268 Enforcement within 3 business days after intake of the offender
1269 for any reason and upon of the career offender's release, and
1270 provide to the Department of Law Enforcement the information
1271 specified in this paragraph and any information specified in
1272 subparagraph 2. which the Department of Law Enforcement
1273 requests.
1274 2. The department may provide any other information deemed
1275 necessary, including criminal and corrections records and
1276 nonprivileged personnel and treatment records, when available.
1277 (b) The department must provide the information described
1278 in subparagraph (a)1. to:
1279 1. The sheriff of the county where the career offender was
1280 sentenced;
1281 2. The sheriff of the county and, if applicable, the
1282 police chief of the municipality, where the career offender
1283 plans to reside;
1284 3. The Department of Law Enforcement;
1285 4. When requested, the victim of the offense, the victim's
1286 parent or legal guardian if the victim is a minor, the lawful
1287 representative of the victim or of the victim's parent or
1288 guardian if the victim is a minor, or the next of kin if the
1289 victim is a homicide victim; and
1290 5. Any person who requests such information,
1292 either within 6 months prior to the anticipated release of a
1293 career offender or as soon as possible if a career offender is
1294 released earlier than anticipated. All such information provided
1295 to the Department of Law Enforcement must be available
1296 electronically as soon as the information is in the agency's
1297 database and must be in a format that is compatible with the
1298 requirements of the Florida Crime Information Center.
1299 (c) Upon request, the department must provide the
1300 information described in subparagraph (a)2. to:
1301 1. The sheriff of the county where the career offender was
1302 sentenced; and
1303 2. The sheriff of the county and, if applicable, the
1304 police chief of the municipality, where the career offender
1305 plans to reside,
1307 either within 6 months prior to the anticipated release of a
1308 career offender or as soon as possible if a career offender is
1309 released earlier than anticipated.
1310 (d) Upon receiving information regarding a career offender
1311 from the department, the Department of Law Enforcement, the
1312 sheriff, or the chief of police shall provide the information
1313 described in subparagraph (a)1. to any individual who requests
1314 such information and may release the information to the public
1315 in any manner deemed appropriate, unless the information is
1316 confidential or exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of
1317 the State Constitution.
1318 (4) This section authorizes the department or any law
1319 enforcement agency to may notify the community and the public of
1320 a career offender's presence in the community. However, with
1321 respect to a career offender who has been found to be a sexual
1322 predator under s. 775.21, the Department of Law Enforcement or
1323 any other law enforcement agency must inform the community and
1324 the public of the sexual predator's career offender's presence
1325 in the community, as provided in s. 775.21.
1326 (5) An elected or appointed official, public employee,
1327 school administrator or employee, or agency, or any individual
1328 or entity acting at the request or upon the direction of any law
1329 enforcement agency, is immune from civil liability for damages
1330 resulting from the good faith compliance with the requirements
1331 of this section or the release of information under this
1332 section.
1333 Section 5. This act shall take effect October 1, 2026.