All excited about new Sober Home legislation? Don't be (not for a while anyway)

To get an idea, here is the title of Christine Stapleton's article in the Post today: "Sober-homes law’s effect will take time — like turning battleship". Here is a short excerpt from an expert in the field:

     Although Florida’s new law technically goes into effect on July 1, the state Department of Children and Families, which will oversee the program, has until Dec. 1 to select the non-profit group that will be responsible for certifying sober homes. The department must also create a web site of certified sober homes for the public and design an protocol to gather data and oversee the certification process — efforts that will also take time.
     Critics say the new law won’t have an impact for at least two years.
     “Right now the law is pretty toothless,” said James Green, a civil liberties attorney has who successfully battled cities attempting to implement discriminatory housing regulations. “Under this law there are no consequences for not getting certified for at least a year.”

Remember, Sober Homes are regulated by federal law, specifically the ADA. Only so much can be done by local municipalities and the states.