Florida’s House Bill 429 (HB-429) seeks to loosen the standards required to qualify for gang membership. This bill would require a two-factor system, where meeting two of the listed criteria would qualify individuals for the criminal gang database. These criteria do not require you to have participated in criminal conduct or criminal activity. The criteria included are as simple as commenting on identified social media posts or being observed twice in the presence of anyone previously identified as a gang member.
Other criteria include adopting the style of dress of a criminal gang. However, that style of dress is not identified and left to the discretion of law enforcement. Another criterion is having a tattoo identified as used by a criminal gang. With this broad option, if a gang began using a heart-shaped tattoo, all citizens with heart tattoos would be eligible for the criminal gang database at the discretion of law enforcement.
Understandably, Florida citizens are alarmed and have started an online petition to oppose HB-429. This petition is open to everyone nationwide.
If this link does not work and you want to sign the petition, just reach out to me via email and I will send you the link.
shill.ohiomrf@gmail.com
