HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 1 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S A bill to be entitled 1 An act relating to career offenders; amending s. 2 322.141, F.S.; requiring that all licenses for the 3 operation of motor vehicles or identification cards 4 issued or reissued by the Department of Highway Safety 5 and Motor Vehicles to persons designated as caree r 6 offenders subject to registration under specified 7 provisions have a specified marking on the front of 8 the cards; requiring each career offender to report to 9 the department during his or her birth month to obtain 10 an updated or renewed driver license or id entification 11 cars unless previously secured or updated; making 12 technical changes; amending s. 775.261, F.S.; revising 13 the definitions of the terms "permanent residence" and 14 "temporary residence"; defining the term "vehicles 15 owned"; revising the criteria fo r having to register 16 as a career offender; revising the required actions 17 and the required information that a career offender 18 must provide upon registration; requiring the 19 sheriff's office to promptly provide to the Department 20 of Law Enforcement specified d ata and information 21 received from the career offender; revising timeframes 22 within which a career offender is required to report 23 to a driver license office of the Department of 24 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or report directly 25 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 2 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S to the department; providin g an exception; revising 26 requirements that a career offender must comply with 27 at the driver license office; requiring that, if a 28 career offender is in the custody of a local jail, the 29 custodian of the local jail notify the Department of 30 Law Enforcement within a specified timeframe after 31 intake of the career offender for any reason and upon 32 release; requiring the custodian to take a digitized 33 photograph of the career offender and provide the 34 photograph to the department; requiring a career 35 offender to report in person to a driver license 36 office within a specified timeframe after any change 37 in the career offender's permanent or temporary 38 residence; requiring the Department of Highway Safety 39 and Motor Vehicles to forward to the Department of Law 40 Enforcement all photographs and information provided 41 by a career offender; authorizing the department to 42 release license reproductions to the department for 43 the purpose of public notification; requiring a career 44 offender to report in person to the sheriff's office 45 after specified occurrences; providing criminal 46 penalties; revising reporting requirements and 47 applicable timeframes that a career offender must 48 comply with if he or she intends to establish a 49 permanent or temporary residence or to travel; 50 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 3 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S requiring county and l ocal law enforcement agencies, 51 in conjunction with the Department of Law Enforcement, 52 to, at a minimum, annually verify the addresses of 53 certain career offenders; authorizing county and local 54 law enforcement agencies, in conjunction with the 55 Department of Law Enforcement, to annually verify the 56 addresses of certain career offenders; requiring 57 county and local law enforcement agencies to report to 58 the department any failures by career offenders to 59 register; requiring that the department receive notice 60 of petitions for the removal of the requirement for 61 registration as career offenders within a specified 62 timeframe before a hearing on the petition; 63 authorizing the department to present evidence in 64 opposition to the requested relief or otherwise 65 demonstrate reasons to deny the petition; authorizing, 66 rather than requiring, the department to maintain 67 online computer access to the current information 68 regarding each registered career offender; revising 69 the list of requirements for which failure of a career 70 offender to comply constitutes a criminal offense; 71 specifying that each instance of a failure to register 72 or report changes to specified required information 73 constitutes a separate offense; expanding the 74 jurisdictions under which career offender may be 75 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 4 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S prosecuted for violations of specified acts or 76 omissions; specifying circumstances which constitute 77 actual notice for a career offender of the duty to 78 register; increasing the criminal penalties for 79 existing prohibited acts relating to assisting career 80 offenders in noncompliance with specified requirements 81 or withholding or providing false information to law 82 enforcement agencies; conforming provisions to changes 83 made by the act; making technical changes; amending s. 84 944.608, F.S.; defining terms; providing a timeframe 85 under which certain career offenders are required to 86 register with the Department of Corrections and 87 provide specified information; requiring the 88 department to report to the Department of Law 89 Enforcement any failures by career offenders to 90 register; revising the information that the Department 91 of Corrections must provide to the Department of Law 92 Enforcement; requiring that, if a career offender is 93 in the custody of a local jail, the custodian of the 94 local jail notify the Department of Law Enforcement 95 within a specified timeframe after intake of the 96 career offender for any reason and upon release; 97 requiring the custodian to take a digitized photograph 98 of the career offender and provide the photograph to 99 the department; authorizing the supervising federal 100 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 5 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S agency to forward certain information to the 101 Department of Law Enforcement if a career offender is 102 under federal supervision and to indicate whether use 103 of the information is subject to certain restrictions; 104 specifying the jurisdictions under which a career 105 offender may be prosecuted for violations of specified 106 acts or omissions; specifying circumstances which 107 constitute actual notice for a career offender of the 108 duty to register; providing criminal penalties for 109 committing specified prohibited acts relating to 110 assisting career offenders in noncompliance with 111 specified requirements or withholding or providing 112 false information to law enforcement agencies; 113 providing applicability; conforming cross -references; 114 making technical changes; amending s. 944.609, F.S.; 115 defining terms; revising legislative findings; 116 revising the information that the Department of 117 Corrections is required to provide regarding career 118 offenders being released after serving periods of 119 incarceration for any offense; specifying a timeframe 120 under which the custodian of a local jail must notify 121 the Department of Law Enforcement after intake of a 122 career offender for any reason and upon release; 123 making technical and clarifying changes; reenacting 124 ss. 320.02(4) and 322.19(1), F.S., relating to 125 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 6 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S registration required and application for 126 registration, and forms and change of address or name, 127 respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 128 775.261, F.S., in references thereto; reenacting s. 129 775.13(4), F.S., relating to registration of convicted 130 felons, exemptions, and penalties, to incorporate the 131 amendment made to ss. 775.261 and 944.609, F.S., in 132 references thereto; providing an effective date. 133 134 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 135 136 Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of se ction 322.141, 137 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 138 322.141 Color or markings of certain licenses or 139 identification cards. — 140 (3) All licenses for the operation of motor vehicles or 141 identification cards originally issued or reissued by the 142 department to persons who are designated as sexual predators 143 under s. 775.21, who are or subject to registration as sexual 144 offenders under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607, who are designated as 145 career offenders under s. 775.261 or s. 944.608, or who have a 146 similar designation or are subject to a similar registration 147 under the laws of another jurisdiction, shall have on the front 148 of the license or identification card the following: 149 (a) For a person designated as a sexual predator under s. 150 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 7 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 775.21 or who has a similar designa tion under the laws of 151 another jurisdiction, the marking "SEXUAL PREDATOR." 152 (b) For a person subject to registration as a sexual 153 offender under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607, or subject to a 154 similar registration under the laws of another jurisdiction, the 155 marking "943.0435, F.S." 156 (c) For a person subject to registration as a career 157 offender under s. 775.261 or s. 944.608, the marking "CAREER 158 OFFENDER." 159 (4)(a) Unless previously secured or updated, each sexual 160 offender and sexual predator shall report to th e department 161 during the month of his or her reregistration as required under 162 s. 775.21(8), s. 943.0435(14), or s. 944.607(13) in order to 163 obtain an updated or renewed driver license or identification 164 card as required by subsection (3). 165 (b) Unless previously secured or updated, each career 166 offender shall report to the department during the month of his 167 or her birth in order to obtain an updated or renewed driver 168 license or identification card as required by subsection (3). 169 Section 2. Section 775.261, F lorida Statutes, is amended 170 to read: 171 775.261 The Florida Career Offender Registration Act. — 172 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as "The Florida 173 Career Offender Registration Act." 174 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 175 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 8 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S (a) "Career offender" means any person who is designated 176 as a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career 177 criminal, or a three -time violent felony offender under s. 178 775.084 or as a prison releasee reoffender under s. 775.082(9). 179 (b) "Chief of police" means the chief law enforcement 180 officer of a municipality. 181 (c) "Community" means any county where the career offender 182 lives or otherwise establishes or maintains a permanent or 183 temporary or permanent residence. 184 (d) "Department" means the Department of Law Enforcement. 185 (e) "Entering the county" includes being discharged from a 186 correctional facility, jail, or secure treatment facility within 187 the county or being under supervision within the county with a 188 career-offender designation as specified in paragr aph (a). 189 (f) "Permanent residence" means a place where the career 190 offender abides, lodges, or resides for 5 14 or more consecutive 191 days. For the purpose of calculating a permanent residence under 192 this paragraph, the first day that a person abides, lodges , or 193 resides at a place is excluded and each subsequent day is 194 counted. A day includes any part of a calendar day. 195 (g) "Temporary residence" means : 196 1. a place where the career offender abides, lodges, or 197 resides, including, but not limited to, vacation , business, or 198 personal travel destinations in or out of this state for a 199 period of 5 14 or more days in the aggregate during any calendar 200 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 9 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S year and which is not the career offender's permanent residence, 201 or for a career offender whose permanent residence i s not in 202 this state, a place where the career offender is employed, 203 practices a vocation, or is enrolled as a student for any period 204 of time in this state. For the purpose of calculating a 205 temporary residence under this paragraph, the first day that a 206 person abides, lodges, or resides at a place is excluded and 207 each subsequent day is counted. A day includes any part of a 208 calendar day address; 209 2. For a career offender whose permanent residence is not 210 in this state, a place where the career offender is empl oyed, 211 practices a vocation, or is enrolled as a student for any period 212 of time in this state; or 213 3. A place where the career offender routinely abides, 214 lodges, or resides for a period of 4 or more consecutive or 215 nonconsecutive days in any month and which is not the career 216 offender's permanent residence, including any out -of-state 217 address. 218 (h) "Vehicles owned" means any motor vehicle as defined in 219 s. 320.01 which is registered, co -registered, leased, titled, or 220 rented by a career offender; a rented vehic le that a career 221 offender is authorized to drive; or a vehicle for which a career 222 offender is insured as a driver. The term also includes any 223 motor vehicle as defined in s. 320.01 which is registered, co -224 registered, leased, titled, or rented by a person or persons 225 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 10 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S residing at a career offender's permanent residence for 5 or 226 more consecutive days. 227 (3) CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION AS A CAREER OFFENDER. — 228 (a) A career offender released on or after July 1, 2002, 229 from a sanction imposed in this state must regist er as required 230 under this section subsection (4) and is subject to community 231 and public notification as provided under subsection (9) 232 subsection (5). If no sanction is imposed, the person is deemed 233 to be released upon conviction. For purposes of this secti on, a 234 sanction imposed in this state means includes, but is not 235 limited to, a fine, probation, community control, parole, 236 conditional release, control release, or incarceration in a 237 state prison, federal prison, private correctional facility, or 238 local detention facility, and: 239 1. The career offender has not received a pardon for any 240 felony or other qualified offense that is necessary for the 241 operation of this paragraph; or 242 2. A conviction of a felony or other qualified offense 243 necessary to the operation of this paragraph has not been set 244 aside in any postconviction proceeding. 245 (b) This section does not apply to any person who has been 246 designated as a sexual predator and is required to register 247 under s. 775.21 or who is required to register as a sexual 248 offender under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607. However, if a person 249 is no longer required to register as a sexual predator under s. 250 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 11 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 775.21 or as a sexual offender under s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607, 251 the person must register as a career offender under this section 252 if the person is otherwise designated as a career offender as 253 provided in this section. 254 (c) A person subject to registration as a career offender 255 is not subject to registration as a convicted felon under s. 256 775.13. However, if the person is no longer requ ired to register 257 as a career offender under this section, the person must 258 register under s. 775.13 if required to do so under that 259 section. 260 (d) If a career offender is not sentenced to a term of 261 imprisonment, the clerk of the court shall ensure that the 262 career offender's fingerprints are taken and forwarded to the 263 department within 48 hours after the court renders its finding 264 that an offender is a career offender. The fingerprints shall be 265 clearly marked, "Career Offender Registration." 266 (4) REGISTRATION.—Upon registration, a career offender 267 shall: 268 (a) Report in person at A career offender must register 269 with the department by providing the following information to 270 the department, or to the sheriff's office in the county in 271 which the career offender esta blishes or maintains a permanent 272 or temporary residence, within 48 hours 2 working days after 273 establishing a permanent or temporary residence in this state , 274 or within 48 hours 2 working days after being released from the 275 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 12 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S custody, control, or supervision of the Department of 276 Corrections or from the custody of a private correctional 277 facility or local detention facility. : 278 (b)1. Provide his or her name; date of birth;, social 279 security number;, age;, race; sex;, gender, date of birth, 280 height;, weight;, hair and eye color; fingerprints; palm 281 prints;, photograph; employment information; , address of 282 permanent or legal residence and address of any current 283 temporary residence within the state or out of state, including 284 a rural route address and or a post office box; address, 285 location or description, and dates of any current or known 286 future temporary residence within this state or out of state; 287 the make, model, color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and 288 license tag number of all vehicles owned; home telephone numbers 289 and cellular telephone numbers; , date and place of any 290 employment, date and place of each conviction ;, fingerprints, 291 and a brief description of the crime or crimes committed by the 292 career offender. A career offender may not provide a post office 293 box may not be provided in lieu of a physical residential 294 address. If the career offender's place of residence is a motor 295 vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home, as those 296 terms are defined in chapter 320, the care er offender shall also 297 provide to the department through the sheriff's office written 298 notice of the vehicle identification number (VIN); the license 299 tag number; the registration number; and a description, 300 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 13 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S including color scheme, of the motor vehicle, trail er, mobile 301 home, or manufactured home. If a career offender's place of 302 residence is a vessel, live -aboard vessel, or houseboat, as 303 those terms are defined in chapter 327, the career offender 304 shall also provide to the department through the sheriff's 305 office written notice of the hull identification number; the 306 manufacturer's serial number; the name of the vessel, live -307 aboard vessel, or houseboat; the registration number of the 308 vessel, live-aboard vessel, or houseboat ; and a description, 309 including color schem e, of the vessel, live -aboard vessel, or 310 houseboat. 311 (c)2. Provide any other information determined necessary 312 by the department, including criminal and corrections records; 313 nonprivileged personnel and treatment records; and evidentiary 314 genetic markers, when available. 315 (b) When If a career offender registers with the sheriff's 316 office, the sheriff shall take a photograph , and a set of 317 fingerprints, and palm prints of the career offender and forward 318 the photographs, and fingerprints, and palm prints to the 319 department, along with the information that the career offender 320 is required to provide pursuant to this section. The sheriff 321 shall promptly provide to the department the information 322 received from the career offender. 323 (d)(c) Within 48 hours 2 working days after the reporting 324 registration required under this subsection paragraph (a), a 325 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 14 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S career offender who is not incarcerated and who resides in the 326 community, including a career offender under the supervision of 327 the Department of Corrections pursuant to s. 94 4.608, shall 328 report register in person at a driver license office of the 329 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles , unless a driver 330 license or identification card that complies with s. 322.141(3) 331 was previously secured or updated under s. 944.608 and shall 332 present proof of registration . At the driver license office, the 333 career offender shall: 334 1. If otherwise qualified, secure a Florida driver 335 license, renew a Florida driver license, or secure an 336 identification card. The career offender shall identif y himself 337 or herself as a career offender who is required to comply with 338 this section and shall provide proof that the career offender 339 reported as required in this subsection. The career offender 340 shall provide any of the information specified in this 341 subsection, if requested. The career offender shall submit to 342 the taking of a photograph for use in issuing a driver license, 343 renewed license, or identification card, and for use by the 344 department in maintaining current records of career offenders , 345 provide his or her place of permanent or temporary residence, 346 including a rural route address or a post office box, and submit 347 to the taking of a photograph for use in issuing a driver 348 license, renewed license, or identification card, and for use by 349 the department in maintaining current records of career 350 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 15 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S offenders. The career offender may not provide a post office box 351 in lieu of a physical residential address. If the career 352 offender's place of residence is a motor vehicle, trailer, 353 mobile home, or manufactured home, as defined in chapter 320, 354 the career offender shall also provide to the Department of 355 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles the vehicle identification 356 number; the license tag number; the motor vehicle registration 357 number; and a description, including color sche me, of the motor 358 vehicle, trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home. If a career 359 offender's place of residence is a vessel, live -aboard vessel, 360 or houseboat, as defined in chapter 327, the career offender 361 shall also provide to the Department of Highway Sa fety and Motor 362 Vehicles the hull identification number; the manufacturer's 363 serial number; the name of the vessel, live -aboard vessel, or 364 houseboat; the registration number; and a description, including 365 color scheme, of the vessel, live -aboard vessel, or ho useboat. 366 2. Pay the costs assessed by the Department of Highway 367 Safety and Motor Vehicles for issuing or renewing a driver 368 license or identification card as required by this section. The 369 driver license or identification card issued must be in 370 compliance with s. 322.141(3). 371 3. Provide, upon request, any additional information 372 necessary to confirm the identity of the career offender, 373 including a set of fingerprints. 374 (e) A career offender shall report in person to a driver 375 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 16 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S license office and is subject t o the requirements specified in 376 this subsection: 377 1.(d) Each time a career offender's driver license or 378 identification card is subject to renewal ; and 379 2. Without regard to the status of the offender's driver 380 license or identification card , and within 48 hours 2 working 381 days after any change of the career offender's residence or 382 change in the career offender's name by reason of marriage or 383 other legal process, the career offender must report in person 384 to a driver license office, and shall be subject to th e 385 requirements specified in paragraph (c) . 386 (f) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles 387 shall forward to the department and to the Department of 388 Corrections all photographs and information provided by career 389 offenders. Notwithstanding the rest rictions set forth in s. 390 322.142, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles may 391 release a reproduction of a color -photograph or digital -image 392 license to the department for purposes of public notification of 393 career offenders as provided in this se ction and ss. 775.26 and 394 944.609. 395 (g) A career offender who is unable to secure or update a 396 driver license or an identification card with the Department of 397 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as provided in this subsection 398 shall also report any change in t he career offender's name by 399 reason of marriage or other legal process within 48 hours after 400 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 17 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S the change to the sheriff's office in the county where the 401 offender resides or is located and provide confirmation that he 402 or she reported such information to the Department of Highway 403 Safety and Motor Vehicles. The reporting requirements under this 404 paragraph do not negate the requirement for a career offender to 405 obtain a Florida driver license or an identification card as 406 required in this section. 407 (h) If the career offender is in the custody of a local 408 jail, the custodian of the local jail shall notify the 409 department within 3 business days after intake of the career 410 offender for any reason and upon release. The custodian of the 411 local jail shall also take a digitiz ed photograph of the career 412 offender while the career offender remains in custody and shall 413 provide the digitized photograph to the department. The 414 custodian shall notify the department if the career offender 415 escapes from custody or dies. 416 (e) If the career offender registers at an office of the 417 department, the department must notify the sheriff and, if 418 applicable, the police chief of the municipality, where the 419 career offender maintains a residence within 48 hours after the 420 career offender registers with the department. 421 (5) ESTABLISHING A RESIDENCE WITHIN THIS STATE AFTER 422 REGISTRATION.— 423 (a) A career offender shall report in person to a driver 424 license office and is subject to the requirements specified in 425 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 18 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S subsection (4): 426 1. Each time a career offender 's driver license or 427 identification card is subject to renewal; and 428 2. Without regard to the status of the offender's driver 429 license or identification card, within 48 hours after any change 430 in the offender's permanent or temporary residence. 431 (b) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles 432 shall forward to the department and to the Department of 433 Corrections all photographs and information provided by career 434 offenders. Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in s. 435 322.142, the Department of Hig hway Safety and Motor Vehicles may 436 release a reproduction of a color -photograph or digital -image 437 license to the department for purposes of public notification of 438 career offenders as provided in this section and ss. 775.26 and 439 944.609. 440 (c) A career offend er who is unable to secure or update a 441 driver license or an identification card with the Department of 442 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as provided in subsection (4) 443 and this subsection shall also report any change in the career 444 offender's permanent or te mporary residence within 48 hours 445 after the change to the sheriff's office in the county where the 446 offender resides or is located and provide confirmation that he 447 or she reported such information to the Department of Highway 448 Safety and Motor Vehicles. The reporting requirements under this 449 paragraph do not negate the requirement for a career offender to 450 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 19 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S obtain a Florida driver license or an identification card as 451 required in this section. 452 (d) A career offender who vacates a permanent or temporary 453 residence and fails to establish or maintain another permanent 454 or temporary residence shall, within 48 hours after vacating the 455 permanent or temporary residence, report in person to the 456 sheriff's office of the county in which he or she is located. 457 The career offender shall specify the date upon which he or she 458 intends to or did vacate such residence. The career offender 459 must provide or update all of the registration information 460 required under paragraph (4)(b). The career offender must 461 provide an address for the resi dence or other place where he or 462 she is or will be located during the time in which he or she 463 fails to establish or maintain a permanent or temporary 464 residence. 465 (e) A career offender who remains at a permanent or 466 temporary residence after reporting his o r her intent to vacate 467 such residence shall, within 48 hours after the date upon which 468 the offender indicated he or she would or did vacate such 469 residence, report in person to the agency to which he or she 470 reported pursuant to paragraph (d) for the purpose of reporting 471 his or her address at such residence. When the sheriff receives 472 the report, the sheriff shall promptly convey the information to 473 the department. An offender who makes a report as required under 474 paragraph (d) but fails to make a report as requ ired under this 475 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 20 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S paragraph commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as 476 provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 477 (6) ESTABLISHING A NON -FLORIDA RESIDENCE.— 478 (a)(f) A career offender who intends to establish a 479 permanent or temporary residence in another state or 480 jurisdiction other than the State of Florida shall report in 481 person to the sheriff of the county of current residence at 482 least 48 hours or the department within 2 working days before 483 the date he or she intends to leave this state to establish 484 residence in another state or jurisdiction other than the State 485 of Florida. Any travel that is not known by the career offender 486 48 hours before he or she intends to establish a residence in 487 another state or jurisdiction must be reported in per son to the 488 sheriff's office as soon as possible before departure. If the 489 career offender is under the supervision of the Department of 490 Corrections, the career offender shall notify the supervising 491 probation officer of his or her intent to transfer supervis ion, 492 satisfy all transfer requirements pursuant to the Interstate 493 Compact for Supervision of Adult Offenders, as provided in s. 494 949.07, and abide by the decision of the receiving jurisdiction 495 to accept or deny transfer. The career offender must provide to 496 the sheriff or department the address, municipality, county, and 497 state or jurisdiction of intended residence. The sheriff shall 498 promptly provide to the department the information received from 499 the career offender. The failure of a career offender to provid e 500 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 21 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S his or her intended place of residence is punishable as provided 501 in subsection (11) subsection (8). 502 (b)(g) A career offender who indicates his or her intent 503 to establish a permanent or temporary residence reside in 504 another a state or jurisdiction other than the State of Florida 505 and later decides to remain in this state shall, within 48 hours 506 2 working days after the date upon which the career offender 507 indicated he or she would leave this state, report in person to 508 the sheriff's office sheriff or the department, whichever agency 509 is the agency to which the career offender reported the intended 510 change of permanent or temporary residence and report, of his or 511 her intent to remain in this state. If the sheriff is notified 512 by the career offender that he or she intends to remain in this 513 state, The sheriff shall promptly report this information to the 514 department. A career offender who reports his or her intent to 515 establish a permanent or temporary residence reside in another a 516 state or jurisdiction other than the State of Florida, but who 517 remains in this state without reporting to the sheriff or the 518 department in the manner required by this subsection paragraph, 519 commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in 520 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 521 (h)1. The department shall maintain online computer access 522 to the current information regarding each registered career 523 offender. The department must maintain hotline access so that 524 state, local, and federal law enforcement ag encies may obtain 525 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 22 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S instantaneous locator file and criminal characteristics 526 information on release and registration of career offenders for 527 purposes of monitoring, tracking, and prosecution. The 528 photograph and fingerprints need not be stored in a computerize d 529 format. 530 2. The department's career offender registration list, 531 containing the information described in subparagraph (a)1., is a 532 public record. The department may disseminate this public 533 information by any means deemed appropriate, including operating 534 a toll-free telephone number for this purpose. When the 535 department provides information regarding a career offender to 536 the public, department personnel must advise the person making 537 the inquiry that positive identification of a person believed to 538 be a career offender cannot be established unless a fingerprint 539 comparison is made, and that it is illegal to use public 540 information regarding a career offender to facilitate the 541 commission of a crime. 542 3. The department shall adopt guidelines as necessary 543 regarding the registration of a career offender and the 544 dissemination of information regarding a career offender as 545 required by this section. 546 (7) VERIFICATION.—County and local law enforcement 547 agencies, in conjunction with the department, shall, at a 548 minimum, annually verify the addresses of career offenders who 549 are not under the care, custody, control, or supervision of the 550 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 23 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S Department of Corrections, and may verify the addresses of 551 career offenders who are under the care, custody, control, or 552 supervision of the Department of Corrections. Local law 553 enforcement agencies shall report to the department any failure 554 by a career offender to comply with registration requirements. 555 (8)(i) RELIEF FROM REGISTRATION. —A career offender must 556 maintain registration with the dep artment for the duration of 557 his or her life, unless the career offender has received a full 558 pardon or has had a conviction set aside in a postconviction 559 proceeding for any offense or offenses that meet meets the 560 criteria for classifying the person as a car eer offender for 561 purposes of registration. However, a registered career offender 562 shall be considered for removal of the requirement to register 563 as a career offender only if he or she who has been lawfully 564 released from confinement, supervision, or sanction , whichever 565 is later, for at least 20 years and has not been arrested for 566 any felony or misdemeanor offense since release . 567 (a) If the career offender meets the criteria in this 568 subsection, the career offender may, for the purpose of removing 569 the requirement for registration as a career offender, petition 570 the criminal division of the circuit court of the circuit in 571 which the registered career offender resides for the purpose of 572 removing the requirement for registration as a career offender. 573 (b) The court may grant or deny such relief if the 574 registered career offender demonstrates to the court that he or 575 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 24 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S she has not been arrested for any crime since release and the 576 court is otherwise satisfied that the registered career offender 577 is not a current or potenti al threat to public safety. The 578 department and the state attorney in the circuit in which the 579 petition is filed must be given notice of the petition at least 580 3 weeks before the hearing on the matter. The department and the 581 state attorney may present eviden ce in opposition to the 582 requested relief or may otherwise demonstrate the reasons why 583 the petition should be denied. If the court denies the petition, 584 the court may set a future date at which the registered career 585 offender may again petition the court for relief, subject to the 586 standards for relief provided in this subsection paragraph. 587 (c) The department shall remove a person from 588 classification as a career offender for purposes of registration 589 if the person provides to the department a certified copy of the 590 court's written findings or order that indicates that the person 591 is no longer required to comply with the requirements for 592 registration as a career offender. 593 (9)(5) COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION. — 594 (a) Law enforcement agencies may inform the co mmunity and 595 the public of the presence of a career offender in the 596 community. Upon notification of the presence of a career 597 offender, the sheriff of the county or the chief of police of 598 the municipality where the career offender establishes or 599 maintains a permanent or temporary residence may notify the 600 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 25 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S community and the public of the presence of the career offender 601 in a manner deemed appropriate by the sheriff or the chief of 602 police. 603 (b) The sheriff or the police chief may coordinate the 604 community and public notification efforts with the department. 605 Statewide notification to the public is authorized, as deemed 606 appropriate by local law enforcement personnel and the 607 department. 608 (c)1. The department may maintain online computer access 609 to the current informa tion regarding each registered career 610 offender. The department must maintain hotline access so that 611 state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies may obtain 612 instantaneous locator file and criminal characteristics 613 information on release and registratio n of career offenders for 614 the purposes of monitoring, tracking, and prosecution. The 615 photograph and fingerprints need not be stored in a computerized 616 format. 617 2. The department's career offender registration list is a 618 public record. The department may dis seminate this public 619 information by any means deemed appropriate, including operating 620 a toll-free telephone number for this purpose. When the 621 department provides information regarding a career offender to 622 the public, department personnel must advise the pe rson making 623 the inquiry that positive identification of a person believed to 624 be a career offender cannot be established unless a fingerprint 625 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 26 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S comparison is made, and that it is illegal to use public 626 information regarding a career offender to facilitate the 627 commission of a crime. 628 3. The department shall adopt guidelines as necessary 629 regarding the registration of a career offender and the 630 dissemination of information regarding a career offender as 631 required by this section. 632 (6) VERIFICATION.—The department and the Department of 633 Corrections shall implement a system for verifying the addresses 634 of career offenders. The sheriff of each county shall annually 635 verify the addresses of career offenders who are not under the 636 care, custody, control, or supervision of t he Department of 637 Corrections. The sheriff shall promptly provide the address 638 verification information to the department in an electronic 639 format. The address verification information must include the 640 verifying person's name, agency, and phone number, the da te of 641 verification, and the method of verification, and must specify 642 whether the address information was verified as correct, 643 incorrect, or unconfirmed. 644 (10)(7) IMMUNITY.—The department, the Department of 645 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Department of 646 Corrections, any law enforcement agency in this state, and the 647 personnel of those departments; an elected or appointed 648 official, public employee, or school a dministrator; or an 649 employee, agency, or any individual or entity acting at the 650 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 27 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S request or upon the direction of any law enforcement agency is 651 immune from civil liability for damages for good faith 652 compliance with the requirements of this section or for th e 653 release of information under this section , and shall be presumed 654 to have acted in good faith in compiling, recording, reporting, 655 or releasing the information. The presumption of good faith is 656 not overcome if a technical or clerical error is made by the 657 department, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 658 the Department of Corrections, the personnel of those 659 departments, or any individual or entity acting at the request 660 or upon the direction of any of those departments in compiling 661 or providing information, or if information is incomplete or 662 incorrect because a career offender fails to report or falsely 663 reports his or her current place of permanent or temporary 664 residence. 665 (11)(8) PENALTIES.— 666 (a) Except as otherwise specifically provided, a c areer 667 offender who fails to register; who fails, after registration, 668 to maintain, acquire, or renew a driver license or an 669 identification card; who fails to provide required location 670 information or change -of-name information; who fails to make a 671 required report in connection with vacating a permanent 672 residence; who fails to respond to any address verification 673 correspondence from the department or from county or local law 674 enforcement agencies within 3 weeks after the date of the 675 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 28 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S correspondence; who knowingly provides false registration 676 information by act or omission; or who otherwise fails, by act 677 or omission, to comply with the requirements of this section, 678 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 679 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Each instance of failure 680 to register or report changes to the required information 681 specified herein constitutes a separate offense. 682 (b) A career offender who commits any act or omission in 683 violation of this section, s. 944.608, or s. 944.609 may be 684 prosecuted for the act or omission in the county in which the 685 act or omission was committed, in the county of the last 686 registered address of the career offender, in the county in 687 which the conviction occurred for the offense or offenses that 688 meet the criteria for designating a person as a career offender, 689 in the county in which he or she was designated a career 690 offender, in the county where the career offender was released 691 from incarceration, or in the county of the intended address of 692 the career offender as re ported by the offender before his or 693 her release from incarceration. 694 (c) An arrest on charges of failure to register when the 695 offender has been provided and advised of his or her statutory 696 obligations to register under this section, the service of an 697 information or a complaint for a violation of this section, or 698 an arraignment on charges for a violation of this section 699 constitutes actual notice of the duty to register. A career 700 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 29 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S offender's failure to register immediately as required by this 701 section following such arrest, service, or arraignment 702 constitutes grounds for a subsequent charge of failure to 703 register. A career offender charged with the crime of failure to 704 register who asserts, or intends to assert, a lack of notice of 705 the duty to register as a def ense to a charge of failure to 706 register shall register immediately as required by this section. 707 A career offender who is charged with a subsequent failure to 708 register may not assert the defense of a lack of notice of the 709 duty to register. Registration foll owing such arrest, service, 710 or arraignment is not a defense and does not relieve the career 711 offender of criminal liability for the failure to register. 712 (d)(b) Any person who misuses public records information 713 concerning a career offender, as defined in t his section, or a 714 career offender, as defined in s. 944.608 or s. 944.609, to 715 secure a payment from such career offender; who knowingly 716 distributes or publishes false information concerning such a 717 career offender which the person misrepresents as being pub lic 718 records information; or who materially alters public records 719 information with the intent to misrepresent the information, 720 including documents, summaries of public records information 721 provided by law enforcement agencies, or public records 722 information displayed by law enforcement agencies on websites or 723 provided through other means of communication, commits a 724 misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 725 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 30 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 775.082 or s. 775.083. 726 (9) PROSECUTIONS FOR ACTS OR OMISSIONS. —A career offender 727 who commits any act or omission in violation of this section, s. 728 944.608, or s. 944.609 may be prosecuted for the act or omission 729 in the county in which the act or omission was committed, the 730 county of the last registered address of the career offender, 731 the county in which the conviction occurred for the offense or 732 offenses that meet the criteria for designating a person as a 733 career offender, or in the county in which he or she was 734 designated a career offender. 735 (12)(10) PENALTIES FOR ASSISTING CAREER OFFENDER IN 736 NONCOMPLIANCE.—Any It is a misdemeanor of the first degree, 737 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, for a person 738 who has reason to believe that a career offender is not 739 complying, or has not complied, with the requirements of this 740 section and who, with the intent to assist the career offender 741 in eluding a law enforcement agency that is seeking to find the 742 career offender to question the career offender about, or to 743 arrest the career offender for, his or her noncompliance with 744 the requirements of this section, to: 745 (a) Withholds Withhold information from, or does not fail 746 to notify, the law enforcement agency about the career 747 offender's noncompliance with the requirements of this section , 748 and, if known, the whereabouts of the career offende r; 749 (b) Harbors Harbor or attempts attempt to harbor, or 750 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 31 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S assists assist another person in harboring or attempting to 751 harbor, the career offender; 752 (c) Conceals Conceal or attempts attempt to conceal, or 753 assists assist another person in concealing or atte mpting to 754 conceal, the career offender; or 755 (d) Provides Provide information to the law enforcement 756 agency regarding the career offender which the person knows to 757 be false information, 758 759 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 760 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084 . 761 Section 3. Section 944.608, Florida Statutes, is amended 762 to read: 763 944.608 Notification to Department of Law Enforcement of 764 information on career offenders. — 765 (1) As used in this section, the term : 766 (a) "Career offender" means a person who is in the custody 767 or control of, or under the supervision of, the department or is 768 in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of, a 769 private correctional facility, and who is designated as a 770 habitual violent felony offen der, a violent career criminal, or 771 a three-time violent felony offender under s. 775.084 or as a 772 prison releasee reoffender under s. 775.082(9). 773 (b) "Permanent residence" and "temporary residence" have 774 the same meaning as provided in s. 775.261. 775 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 32 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S (c) "Vehicles owned" has the same meaning as provided in 776 s. 775.261. 777 (2) If a career offender is not sentenced to a term of 778 imprisonment, the clerk of the court shall ensure that the 779 career offender's fingerprints are taken and forwarded to the 780 Department of Law Enforcement within 48 hours after the court 781 sentences the career offender. The fingerprints shall be clearly 782 marked "Career Offender Registration." 783 (3) A career offender , as described in this section, who 784 is under the supervision of the department b ut is not 785 incarcerated shall must register with the department within 3 786 business days after sentencing and provide his or her name; date 787 of birth; social security number; race; sex gender; height; 788 weight; hair and eye color; tattoos or other identifying ma rks; 789 employment information required to be provided pursuant to s. 790 775.261; all home telephone numbers and cellular telephone 791 numbers required to be provided pursuant to s. 775.261; the 792 make, model, color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and 793 license tag number of all vehicles owned; and permanent or legal 794 residence and address of temporary residence within the state or 795 out of state while the career offender is under supervision in 796 this state, including any rural route address or post office 797 box; and address, location or description, and dates of any 798 current or known future temporary residence within this state or 799 out of state. The department shall verify the address of each 800 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 33 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S career offender in the manner described in s. 775.261. The 801 department shall repo rt to the Department of Law Enforcement any 802 failure by a career offender to comply with any registration 803 requirements. 804 (4) In addition to notification and transmittal 805 requirements imposed by any other provision of law, the 806 department shall compile inform ation on any career offender and 807 provide the information to the Department of Law Enforcement. 808 The information shall be made available electronically to the 809 Department of Law Enforcement as soon as this information is in 810 the department's database and must be in a format that is 811 compatible with the requirements of the Florida Crime 812 Information Center. 813 (5) The information provided to the Department of Law 814 Enforcement must include: 815 (a) The information obtained from the career offender 816 under subsection (3); 817 (b) The career offender's most current address ; and place 818 of permanent or and temporary residence within this the state or 819 out of state; and address, location or description, and dates of 820 any current or known future temporary residence within this 821 state or out of state, while the career offender is under 822 supervision in this state, including the name of the county or 823 municipality in which the career offender permanently or 824 temporarily resides, and address, location or description, and 825 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 34 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S dates of any current or known future temporary residence within 826 this state or out of state, and, if known, the intended place of 827 permanent or temporary residence , and address, location or 828 description, and dates of any current or known future temporary 829 residence within this st ate or out of state upon satisfaction of 830 all sanctions; 831 (c) The legal status of the career offender and the 832 scheduled termination date of that legal status; 833 (d) The location of, and local telephone number for, any 834 Department of Corrections' office that is responsible for 835 supervising the career offender; and 836 (e) A digitized photograph of the career offender, which 837 must have been taken within 60 days before the career offender 838 is released from the custody of the department or a private 839 correctional facility or within 60 days after the onset of the 840 department's supervision of any career offender who is on 841 probation, community control, conditional release, parole, 842 provisional release, or control release. If the career offender 843 is in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of, a 844 private correctional facility, the facility shall take a 845 digitized photograph of the career offender within the time 846 period provided in this paragraph and shall provide the 847 photograph to the department. 848 (6)(a) The department shall notify the Department of Law 849 Enforcement if the career offender escapes, absconds, or dies 850 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 35 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S while in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of, 851 the department. 852 (b) If any information provided by the department changes 853 during the time the career offender is under the department's 854 custody, control, or supervision, including any change in the 855 career offender's name by reason of marriage or other legal 856 process, the department shall, in a timely manner, update the 857 information and provid e it to the Department of Law Enforcement 858 in the manner prescribed in subsection (4). 859 (7) If the career offender is in the custody of a local 860 jail, the custodian of the local jail shall notify the 861 Department of Law Enforcement within 3 business days afte r 862 intake of the offender for any reason and upon release, and 863 shall forward the information to the Department of Law 864 Enforcement. The custodian of the local jail shall also take a 865 digitized photograph of the career offender while the offender 866 remains in custody and shall provide the digitized photograph to 867 the Department of Law Enforcement. 868 (8) If the career offender is under federal supervision, 869 the federal agency responsible for supervising the career 870 offender may forward to the Department of Law Enforc ement any 871 information regarding the career offender which is consistent 872 with the information provided by the department under this 873 section, and may indicate whether use of the information is 874 restricted to law enforcement purposes only or may be used by 875 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 36 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S the Department of Law Enforcement for purposes of public 876 notification. 877 (9)(7) A career offender, as described in this section, 878 who is under the supervision of the department but who is not 879 incarcerated shall, in addition to the registration requirements 880 provided in subsection (3), register in the manner provided in 881 s. 775.261(4)(d) s. 775.261(4)(c), unless the career offender is 882 a sexual predator, in which case he or she shall register as 883 required under s. 775.21, or is a sexual offender, in which case 884 he or she shall register as required in s. 943.0435 or s. 885 944.607. A career offender who fails to comply with all of the 886 requirements of s. 775.261 s. 775.261(4) is subject to the 887 penalties provided in s. 775.261(11) s. 775.261(8). 888 (10)(a)(8) The failure of a career offender to submit to 889 the taking of a digitized photograph, or to otherwise comply 890 with the requirements of this section, is a felony of the third 891 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 892 775.084. 893 (b) A career offender who commits any act or omission in 894 violation of this section may be prosecuted for the act or 895 omission in the county in which the act or omission was 896 committed, in the county of the last registered address of the 897 career offender, in the county in which the con viction occurred 898 for the offense or offenses that meet the criteria for 899 designating a person as a career offender, in the county in 900 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 37 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S which he or she was designated a career offender, in the county 901 where the career offender was released from incarceration, o r in 902 the county of the intended address of the career offender as 903 reported by the offender before his or her release from 904 incarceration. 905 (c) An arrest on charges of failure to register when the 906 offender has been provided and advised of his or her statuto ry 907 obligations to register under s. 775.261, the service of an 908 information or a complaint for a violation of this section, or 909 an arraignment on charges for a violation of this section 910 constitutes actual notice of the duty to register. A career 911 offender's failure to register immediately as required by this 912 section following such arrest, service, or arraignment 913 constitutes grounds for a subsequent charge of failure to 914 register. A career offender charged with the crime of failure to 915 register who asserts, or in tends to assert, a lack of notice of 916 the duty to register as a defense to a charge of failure to 917 register shall register immediately as required by this section. 918 A career offender who is charged with a subsequent failure to 919 register may not assert the defe nse of a lack of notice of the 920 duty to register. 921 (d) Registration following such arrest, service, or 922 arraignment is not a defense and does not relieve the career 923 offender of criminal liability for the failure to register. 924 (11)(9) The department, the De partment of Highway Safety 925 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 38 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S and Motor Vehicles, the Department of Law Enforcement, personnel 926 of those departments, and any individual or entity acting at the 927 request or upon the direction of those departments are immune 928 from civil liability for damages for good faith compliance with 929 this section, and shall be presumed to have acted in good faith 930 in compiling, recording, reporting, or providing information. 931 The presumption of good faith is not overcome if technical or 932 clerical errors are made by the departmen t, the Department of 933 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Department of Law 934 Enforcement, personnel of those departments, or any individual 935 or entity acting at the request or upon the direction of those 936 departments in compiling, recording, reporting, or p roviding 937 information, or, if the information is incomplete or incorrect 938 because the information has not been provided by a person or 939 agency required to provide the information, or because the 940 information was not reported or was falsely reported. 941 (12) A person who has reason to believe that a career 942 offender is not complying, or has not complied, with the 943 requirements of this section and who, with the intent to assist 944 the career offender in eluding a law enforcement agency that is 945 seeking to find the caree r offender to question the career 946 offender about, or to arrest the career offender for, his or her 947 noncompliance with the requirements of this section: 948 (a) Withholds information from, or does not notify, the 949 law enforcement agency about the career offend er's noncompliance 950 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 39 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S with the requirements of this section, and, if known, the 951 whereabouts of the career offender; 952 (b) Harbors or attempts to harbor, or assists another 953 person in harboring or attempting to harbor, the career 954 offender; 955 (c) Conceals or att empts to conceal, or assists another 956 person in concealing or attempting to conceal, the career 957 offender; or 958 (d) Provides information to the law enforcement agency 959 regarding the career offender which the person knows to be false 960 information, 961 962 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 963 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. This subsection does not 964 apply if the career offender is incarcerated in or is in the 965 custody of a state correctional facility, a private correctional 966 facility, a local jail, or a federal correctional facility. 967 Section 4. Section 944.609, Florida Statutes, is amended 968 to read: 969 944.609 Career offenders; notification upon release. — 970 (1) As used in this section, the term : 971 (a) "Career offender" means a person wh o is in the custody 972 or control of, or under the supervision of, the department or is 973 in the custody or control of, or under the supervision of a 974 private correctional facility, who is designated as a habitual 975 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 40 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S violent felony offender, a violent career crimin al, or a three-976 time violent felony offender under s. 775.084 or as a prison 977 releasee reoffender under s. 775.082(9). 978 (b) "Permanent residence" and "temporary residence" have 979 the same meaning as provided in s. 775.261. 980 (c) "Vehicles owned" has the same meaning as provided in 981 s. 775.261. 982 (2) The Legislature finds that certain career offenders, 983 by virtue of their histories of offenses, present a threat to 984 the public and to communities. Career offenders have a reduced 985 expectation of privacy because of the public's interest in 986 public safety and in the effective operation of government. The 987 Legislature finds that requiring these career offenders to 988 register for the purpose of tracking the career offenders and 989 providing for notifying the public and a communit y of the 990 presence of a career offender are important aids to law 991 enforcement agencies, the public, and communities if the career 992 offender engages again in criminal conduct. Registration is 993 intended to aid law enforcement agencies in timely apprehending 994 a career offender. Registration is not a punishment, but merely 995 a status. Notification to the public and communities of the 996 presence of a career offender aids the public and communities in 997 avoiding being victimized by the career offender. The 998 Legislature intends to require the registration of career 999 offenders and to authorize law enforcement agencies to notify 1000 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 41 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S the public and communities of the presence of a career offender. 1001 (3)(a) The department must provide information regarding 1002 any career offender who is b eing released after serving a period 1003 of incarceration for any offense, as follows: 1004 1. The department must provide the career offender's name, 1005 any change in the career offender's name by reason of marriage 1006 or other legal process, and any alias, if known; the 1007 correctional facility from which the career offender is 1008 released; the career offender's social security number, race, 1009 sex gender, date of birth, height, weight, and hair and eye 1010 color; address of any planned permanent residence or temporary 1011 residence, within this state or out of state, including a rural 1012 route address and a post office box; address, location or 1013 description, and dates of any current or known future temporary 1014 residence within this state or out of state; date and county of 1015 sentence and each crime for which the career offender was 1016 sentenced; a copy of the career offender's fingerprints , palm 1017 prints, and a digitized photograph taken within 60 days before 1018 release; the date of release of the career offender; employment 1019 information, if known, req uired to be provided pursuant to s. 1020 775.261; and all home telephone numbers and cellular telephone 1021 numbers required to be provided pursuant to s. 775.261 and the 1022 career offender's intended residence address, if known . The 1023 department shall notify the Depart ment of Law Enforcement if the 1024 career offender escapes, absconds, or dies. If the career 1025 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 42 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S offender is in the custody of a private correctional facility, 1026 the facility shall take the digitized photograph of the career 1027 offender within 60 days before the career offender's release and 1028 provide this photograph to the Department of Corrections and 1029 also place it in the career offender's file. If the career 1030 offender is in the custody of a local jail, the custodian of the 1031 local jail shall notify the Department of Law E nforcement within 1032 3 business days after intake of the offender for any reason and 1033 upon of the career offender's release, and provide to the 1034 Department of Law Enforcement the information specified in this 1035 paragraph and any information specified in subparagr aph 2. which 1036 the Department of Law Enforcement requests. 1037 2. The department may provide any other information deemed 1038 necessary, including criminal and corrections records and 1039 nonprivileged personnel and treatment records, when available. 1040 (b) The department must provide the information described 1041 in subparagraph (a)1. to: 1042 1. The sheriff of the county from where the career 1043 offender was sentenced; 1044 2. The sheriff of the county and, if applicable, the 1045 police chief of the municipality, where the care er offender 1046 plans to reside; 1047 3. The Department of Law Enforcement; 1048 4. When requested, the victim of the offense, the victim's 1049 parent or legal guardian if the victim is a minor, the lawful 1050 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 43 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S representative of the victim or of the victim's parent or 1051 guardian if the victim is a minor, or the next of kin if the 1052 victim is a homicide victim; and 1053 5. Any person who requests such information, 1054 1055 either within 6 months prior to the anticipated release of a 1056 career offender, or as soon as possible if a career offende r is 1057 released earlier than anticipated. All such information provided 1058 to the Department of Law Enforcement must be available 1059 electronically as soon as the information is in the agency's 1060 database and must be in a format that is compatible with the 1061 requirements of the Florida Crime Information Center. 1062 (c) Upon request, the department must provide the 1063 information described in subparagraph (a)2. to: 1064 1. The sheriff of the county from where the career 1065 offender was sentenced; and 1066 2. The sheriff of the county and, if applicable, the 1067 police chief of the municipality, where the career offender 1068 plans to reside, 1069 1070 either within 6 months prior to the anticipated release of a 1071 career offender, or as soon as possible if a career offender is 1072 released earlier than antici pated. 1073 (d) Upon receiving information regarding a career offender 1074 from the department, the Department of Law Enforcement, the 1075 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 44 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S sheriff, or the chief of police shall provide the information 1076 described in subparagraph (a)1. to any individual who requests 1077 such information and may release the information to the public 1078 in any manner deemed appropriate, unless the information is 1079 confidential or exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of 1080 the State Constitution. 1081 (4) This section authorizes the department or any law 1082 enforcement agency to may notify the community and the public of 1083 a career offender's presence in the community. However, with 1084 respect to a career offender who has been found to be a sexual 1085 predator under s. 775.21, the Department of Law Enforcemen t or 1086 any other law enforcement agency must inform the community and 1087 the public of the sexual predator's career offender's presence 1088 in the community, as provided in s. 775.21. 1089 (5) An elected or appointed official, public employee, 1090 school administrator or employee, or agency, or any individual 1091 or entity acting at the request or upon the direction of any law 1092 enforcement agency, is immune from civil liability for damages 1093 resulting from the good faith compliance with the requirements 1094 of this section or the rel ease of information under this 1095 section. 1096 Section 5. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 1097 made by this act to section 775.261, Florida Statutes, in a 1098 reference thereto, subsection (4) of section 320.02, Florida 1099 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 1100 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 45 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 320.02 Registration required; application for 1101 registration; forms. — 1102 (4) Except as provided in ss. 775.21, 775.261, 943.0435, 1103 944.607, and 985.4815, the owner of any motor vehicle registered 1104 in the state shall notify the department in writing of any 1105 change of address within 30 days of such change. The 1106 notification shall include the registration license plate 1107 number, the vehicle identification number (VIN) or title 1108 certificate number, year of vehicle make, and the owner's full 1109 name. 1110 Section 6. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 1111 made by this act to section 775.261, Florida Statutes, in a 1112 reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 322.19, Florida 1113 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 1114 322.19 Change of address or name. — 1115 (1) Except as provided in ss. 775.21, 775.261, 943.0435, 1116 944.607, and 985.4815, whenever any person, after applying for 1117 or receiving a driver license or identification card, changes 1118 his or her legal name, that person must within 30 days 1119 thereafter obtain a replacement license or c ard that reflects 1120 the change. 1121 Section 7. For the purpose of incorporating the amendments 1122 made by this act to sections 775.261 and 944.609, Florida 1123 Statutes, in references thereto, subsection (4) of section 1124 775.13, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read : 1125 HB 1539 2024 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1539-00 Page 46 of 46 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 775.13 Registration of convicted felons, exemptions; 1126 penalties.— 1127 (4) This section does not apply to an offender: 1128 (a) Who has had his or her civil rights restored; 1129 (b) Who has received a full pardon for the offense for 1130 which convicted; 1131 (c) Who has been lawfully released from incarceration or 1132 other sentence or supervision for a felony conviction for more 1133 than 5 years prior to such time for registration, unless the 1134 offender is a fugitive from justice on a felony charge or has 1135 been convicted of any offense since release from such 1136 incarceration or other sentence or supervision; 1137 (d) Who is a parolee or probationer under the supervision 1138 of the United States Parole Commission if the commission knows 1139 of and consents to the presence of the offender in Fl orida or is 1140 a probationer under the supervision of any federal probation 1141 officer in the state or who has been lawfully discharged from 1142 such parole or probation; 1143 (e) Who is a sexual predator and has registered as 1144 required under s. 775.21; 1145 (f) Who is a sexual offender and has registered as 1146 required in s. 943.0435 or s. 944.607; or 1147 (g) Who is a career offender who has registered as 1148 required in s. 775.261 or s. 944.609. 1149 Section 8. This act shall take effect October 1, 2024. 1150