ORLANDO, Fla. — A series of new Florida laws take effect Thursday, including changes involving career-offender registration, gang classifications and license plate frames.
Here’s a look at three changes Floridians should know about:
New requirements for career offenders
A new law expands Florida’s registration requirements for certain career offenders, including people classified as habitual violent felony offenders, violent career criminals, three-time violent felony offenders or prison releasee reoffenders.
Under the law, covered offenders must register in person at a sheriff’s office within 48 hours of release or establishing a residence.
They must provide information including their address, employment information, vehicle information and professional-license information.
The law also requires information concerning immigration status in certain circumstances.
The registration system is tied to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which maintains the Career Offender Application for Statewide Tracking, or COAST.
The new law also requires annual updates and gives law enforcement additional notification and tracking requirements.
The law, Senate Bill 1332, also requires a covered career offender’s driver’s license or identification card to carry the marking “775.261, F.S.”
Changes to how gang membership is determined
Another new law changes the criteria used to identify someone as a criminal gang member.
Under the updated law, a person can meet the definition of a criminal gang member by satisfying at least two specified criteria.
Those criteria include admitting to gang membership, being identified or claimed by a gang as a member, being identified by certain people as a gang member, associating with known gang members and other indicators.
The law also creates a definition for “gang-related language,” covering verbal or written statements that signal gang affiliation, support gang activity or use recognized gang codes, symbols or terminology associated with criminal organizations. That includes communications made online or through social media.
Yes, you can keep your license plate frame
For Florida drivers, another law clarifies the state’s license plate rules.
The law specifically says a license plate frame or decorative border is not an offense as long as it does not obscure the license plate number or the registration decal or validation sticker in the upper-right corner.
The clarification comes after last year’s changes to Florida’s license plate-obscuring law.
So, if you have a frame around your plate, you don’t necessarily have to remove it.
The key is making sure the plate number and required registration information remain clearly visible.
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