Most of you have read how in Florida this year a little girl was kidnapped and killed by a pervert sex offender.
That girl was Jessica Lunsford and what happened to her is beyond horrible.
We are all offended that a child could be harmed like this.


Since that happened, the Florida Legislature passed a new law that was signed by the governor. The Lusford Act is the name of this revision of an existing law.
Florida Statute 1012.32.

Only now, about eight weeks before the law coming into use (September 1st) has anyone really taken a look at what it means.

Effective this year, if you officiate for Florida schools,

1. You have to have a background check that includes a nationwide FBI check called a Level 2
Not a problem for the vast majority of us but......
The list of disqualifies is extensive and there is at present no course of appeal.
If you have paid the penalty of your felony offense and have restored you voting rights, too bad.

2. If you work in more than one county, you must have a separate background check for each county.
Why? Each county?

3. You have to pay in excess of 60 dollars for each background check.
No agency has agreed on the cost yet but everyone is pretty sure it is more than 60 dollars each

4. You have to have this background check where you are fingerprinted performed at the school district offices where an automated system scans your fingerprints and submits it.
So you have to travel to each County Seat to get a check done,

No problem for many, but I worked in ten counties in the 2004 season and in five counties in the 2005 season.

5. At present, there is no agreement as to who pays for this.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement does not know, The Florida Department of Education says the school systems must pay. Some school boards say the officials must absorb the cost.

In the county where I live, it will cost (to someone) between 30 to 40 thousand dollars

You read that right, $30,000 to $40,000 dollars.

At the present rates, Florida High School sports officials will (on average) have to work a minimum of three games just to pay for our registration and background checks

Then there are the issues for our school systems in that all volunteers on school grounds have to have this background check. So long to the homeroom moms, to the parents who keep the scorebooks, to the reading coaches etc unless you have the check done.

All deliveries to the schools also fall under this law. So now, the cafeteria deliveries are a problem, The UPS delivery is a problem, office supply deliveries are not allowed without a background check.

I have had one School Board member tell me that it is possible that the schools will not be able to perform their day-to-day business after September 1st.


What a mess,
First, you have to prove you are innocent then you have to pay to work.

A law designed to protect our kids is in the end going to hurt those very kids

Gotta love Florida.

The worst part about it is it will deter people from wanting to officiate, as if the shortage isn't enough.

Each county? Where I live(not in FL), I officiate in several counties, atleast 5.

Gotta love Jeb. Obviously, the consequences were not considered. Runs in the family.

Sure glad it's not Kansas. I have worked varsity games in 16 different counties.

Very sound and informed judgement. Blame everything on Govenor

You will not have to be checked in every county. One background check will suffice for all. I think it is an excellent idea for members to utilize their law enforcement members in any way possible. We will share information as soon as it is made available to us.

John A. Stewart
Commissioner


This came from a couple of days ago. So it seems one background check is sufficient.

Very sound and informed judgement. Blame everything on Govenor

You're right. I'm sure he had nothing to do with it. Somebody else was in the office the day it got signed into law.

While perhaps well intentioned, this series of new hoops to jump through so we can be around kids while thousands look on is a money grab, pure and simple. Luckily(?) in NY, we don't have the county by county check, but paying money to the state so they can fingerprint me is crazy. I work for a state agency and can be finger imaged by a machine for free and have that sent to them electronically but then they wouldn't get the cash. No go.

Guess again.
The "check for each county" thing came from the Florida Dept of Education who at this point is the interpreting authority on this.
Also, each school board we have talked to agrees that a check will be required in each county because that is the language of the statutes involved.

Also, you can't just go the the local sheriff's office to get it done.
There has to be a requesting agency (legal definitions apply) and a controling body (the school boards)

I have seen some email from Dr Stewart but have not seen anything like what you quote.
Sonny Hester, who is the Director of Officials is on the same page we are on with this.
The FHSAA staff won't even be back in town until late next week and some of them are going on vacation instead of coming back to work.

What association are you a part of?
There is a rally of officials associations and elected officials as well as business people meeting next Friday and if you are close enough, you should get an invitation to it.

Follow up
 

The letter Dr Stewart sent out is posted on the FHSAA website and it is in no way like what you quote.
I think you better check your sources.

Let me know if you are interested in the get together on the 8th.

I received this email second hand from a reliable referree. I have forwarded your response to the Stewart email, with a question asking where he recieved his information from.

I live in Gainesville and work with the Mid Florida and suwannee officials association.

And I know a bunch of officials who would be interested in getting this requirement waved, if we can.

Send me an email through this forum and I will send you the letter that our President sent out to the neighboring associations

Does anyone know of an actual incident of a sports official involved in this sort of behavior/crime?

Perhaps its too late for me to think straight, but it does occur to me that if I were interested in abducting a kid, the last thing I want is the school to have my name and address (to send a check, verify I was at that school where the kid went ot) out, and having co-officials recognize me and a secretary alleging I was assigned the game.

I realize a lot of criminals don't think these things out carefully, but who in their right mind wants to go to meetings, attend training sessions, buy a uniform, and deal with abuse if his real intention is something perverted? One can buy a 2 dollar ticket to a game and get everything the official can possibly get.

Texas Aggie, I doubt anyone would become a sports official to become a child abductor, but maybe they just happen to be one.

Here is a case of a basketball association's president in my area: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/...per=61&cat=104

Although there was no connection between officiating and his habbits, it certainly is disturbing.

I seem to remember that years ago, a former Referee Magazine columnist, who was a well known high school official in his state, was accused of molesting his own grandson.

But I do agree with your main point. Officials are extremely unlikely to commit such a crime. And officials are probably the least likely to have the opportunity to do so.

This is just lawmakers trying to act like they are doing something and not thinking things through. Gee, when has that ever happened before?