
© Reuters/Shannon Stapleton
Lawmakers in Florida have passed a bill that increases punishments for rioting, looting and destruction of monuments, while making it harder for local jurisdictions to defund the police.
Democrats condemned it as racist.
The state senate approved
HB1, or "An Act Relating to Combating Public Disorder," on Thursday with a vote of 23 in favor and 17 opposed. One Republican from Tampa Bay joined the Democrats in opposition. It cleared the Republican-majority House last month. Governor Ron DeSantis said in a statement following the bill's passage. He is expected to sign it into law as early as next week:
"This legislation strikes the appropriate balance of safeguarding every Floridian's constitutional right to peacefully assemble, while ensuring that those who hide behind peaceful protest to cause violence in our communities will be punished."
The final version of the bill isn't quite the "license to shoot looters" that reports on the early draft in November 2020 made it out to be.
It upgrades the penalties for many misdemeanors, including rioting, looting, and assault and battery of uniformed officials.
It also creates an "affirmative defense" in civil cases for injury, property damage or wrongful death when the person is acting in self-defense against someone convicted of rioting.
HB1 also makes it
a third-degree felony to damage or destroy a memorial or historic property valued at $200 or above, and would have the perpetrator pay "full cost" of repair or replacement as restitution, in addition to a 10-year prison sentence.
Comment: See also: