We're soon to
embark on "march madness," that time when our legislature convenes, and
we have an opportunity to impact legislation that effects us (I'll bet you
all thought I was talking about basketball, right?).
Here's a list of legislative issues we need help on. Please call and/or
write your respective legislators seeking their help in passing bills many
of us have worked so hard on, and voting against bills that we're opposed
to. You can contact Hal Robbins at the FPCA office (800-332- 8117), or
Jay Romine, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, if you need help on
anything.
Senate Bill 706, sponsored by Senator Campbell, creates Section 943.0546
Florida Statutes, setting up a statewide database of pawnshop transactions. This database will help us all recover stolen property and return it to its rightful owner.
We will be holding our legislative breakfast on March 29. It is really
important that as many chiefs as possible show up and visit with legislators
who will be there. The meeting will be held on the 22nd floor of the
Capitol Building starting at 7:15 a.m.
Representatives Bendross and Mindingall (H-321), and Senator Meek (S-84)
are sponsoring racial profiling bills entitled the "Florida Motorist
Profiling Evaluation Task Force," which mandate development of policies
and procedures that prohibit biased profiling as a primary factor in
stopping motorists. These bills will, among other things, require
developing a mechanism for obtaining specific data related to the nature
of the traffic stops and the treatment of motorists who are the subjects
of such traffic stops.
The FPCA believes that this sort of data gathering is detrimental to
effective traffic law enforcement and can create conflict between officers
and the driving public. You can read our argument on this by looking at
our web site. We believe that this data can be gathered on the Florida
Drivers License, which is a less intrusive way to get it.
The February issue of The Florida Police Chief set out a schedule of
dates and locations for the safe and legal traffic stops training IPTM is
providing in concert with us and the Florida Sheriffs Association. The
training starts on April 16 in Tampa and ends June 22 in Daytona Beach.
This is good training, and is important to our efforts to show that the
FPCA is serious about addressing profile stops. Please schedule people
into it.
Two other significant items of legislation this session are:
Senate Bill 252, sponsored by Senator King, and House Bill 261 sponsored
by Representative Jordan, which would require employers to furnish records
concerning former employees to prospective law enforcement employers for
background investigation purposes. I'm sure you can see the benefit we
would gain in seeking the best possible candidates.
Senate Bill 264, sponsored by Senator Silver, and House Bill 487
sponsored by Representative Gibson. These bills extend educational
benefits for children of slain law enforcement officers to provide for
completion of graduate degree programs through tuition waivers.
Two other things that will adversely effect us include a proposal to
cut state funding for juvenile assessment centers. I don't know about
your area of the state, but this measure would cripple us in Brevard County.
Lastly, Representative Trovillion has not filed his bill on educational
standards. That's not good news.
