On Friday October 3rd, Bob Allen of the Friends of Playalinda Beach, and a number of naturist supporters from other naturists organizations, called on the Brevard office of U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
presenting almost 2,000 petitions calling for the reassignment of Canaveral National Seashore's two top administrators.

 

Copies of the petitions will later be delivered to Senator Martinez.

 

 

 

 

Through the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Marv Frandsen has again obtained complaint report statistics for nudity and for lewd behavior at Playalinda Beach and Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashores.

 

Reports of lewd behavior for 2007 are the lowest since 2002 at Playalinda; reports of nudity for 2007 were 9, up from the three previous years, probably largely due to the installation of the signs by Superintendent Clark noting that nudity was not allowed under Brevard County Ordinance, inviting such complaints from confused visitors.

 

As has frequently been noted, the so-called "Weldon Amendment" to Public Law 108-7 Section 128 has been omitted from the current text, and there is now no prohibition against Superintendant Clark installing signs demarking the naturist area, or allowing the naturists to do so.  Such would create an area "set aside" for nude use removed from enforcement of the Brevard County ordinance, which Brevard officials seem not terribly interested in enforcing at Playalinda in any case.

 

 

Marv Frandsen is Vice-president of Central Florida Naturists, President of B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation, and a Naturist Action Committee Area Representative. 

Elections are coming up in November.  As usual, there will be a number of newly-elected state legislators with no, or with negative, information on naturism.  A priority of SFFB's Government Affairs Committee is to contact new legislators after the election and present them with information on our issue, before bills are crafted and before the start of the regular session early in 2009.

 

Once the session starts, our paid lobbyist will be on the ground in Tallahassee to monitor bills.  Over the last two years, we've had bills of concern addressing public lewd behavior that were not passed.  SFFB does not oppose controlling such behavior, but often these bills are written with overly-broad language that threatens nude sunbathing and skinny-dipping.

 

In 2006, HB 41, a bill of concern, passed the House, but we managed to have it amended in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee; however, it did not pass the Senate before session end.  In 2007, bill sponsor Rep. Snyder modified HB 801 to remove our concerns after discussion; it passed to the House floor but was never brought to a vote.  Reports on the 2006 & 2007 session are posted on our website legislative page.  

 

The recent failure of these and other bills promises a reintroduction in some form, and we will again need to monitor, and seek to modify, if necessary, the exact wording of such legislation. 

 

Of historic interest, SFFB first hired a professional legislative lobbyist in 1994, when Brevard area State Representative Randy Ball first introduced anti-nudity legislation, triggered by objections to the traditional naturist area at Playalinda Beach.

 

Stop at the north Chickee hut at Haulover at 3 PM for an open discussion of Haulover Beach and other naturist issues.  Comments, suggestions, questions, complaints?  Here's your opportunity.  SFFB's monthly board of directors meeting will follow at 4 PM.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  While usually the third Sunday of each month, the October Meet & Greet has been rescheduled to Sunday October 26th at 3 PM, due to conflict with the TNS Southern Naturist Gathering at Lake Como Resort. 

 

Lake Como Family Nudist Resort, Lutz, FL

October 16-19, 2008

 

You do not have to be a member of The Naturist Society to attend this event, although members receive a discount on the registration fee.

 

More information 

 

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