Home » About » Newsletters » October 2001
State Response to Terrorism
Despite his insistence on getting things back to normal, Governor Jeb Bush continued through the beginning of this month to "prepare for potential attacks" in Florida by suspending all statewide rules and laws. The Executive Order he signed within hours of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks puts Florida in a state emergency through Nov. 11, the order's 60-day expiration date under state law.
He directed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to assess the state's capability to prevent future retaliation. On Oct. 1, the state agencies issued recommendations on ways to improve security that include everything from increasing surveillance of bank and telephone records to detaining immigrants on mere suspicion.
The following are some of the FDLE/DEM security recommendations:
- Restrict access to certain public records (i.e. drivers' licenses and arrest records) should the disclosure adversely affect on-going criminal investigations.
- Detain immigrants on mere suspicion of terrorist activity.
- Create a statewide database of suspicious persons.
- Give law enforcement agencies the power to detain individuals believed to be in violation of immigration laws.
- Expand state wiretapping and surveillance laws to mirror federal proposals that lesson the role of the judiciary.
- Use highly-invasive biometric technology to prevent driver's license fraud.
- Provide immunity from civil liability for reporting "suspicious activity" regardless of whether the information is truthful.
