Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a series of law enforcement-related measures Tuesday, with many of them designed to increase penalties for criminals and give police and prosecutors more options to pursue them.
The bills range from making it easier for police to identify an individual as a gang member to requiring criminals deemed “career offenders” have the designation on their driver’s license.
DeSantis also used the bill signing event at the Winter Haven Police Department to warn of a state crackdown on “teen takeover” events where large groups of young people swarm public areas.
“We do not recognize any teen takeover. If you try that, you are doing that at your peril,” DeSantis said. “And if the local officials are not holding you accountable, I’ll put somebody in there who will hold you accountable.”
Last week, Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a statewide initiative under the Office of Statewide Prosecution focused on “teen takeover” events.
“If you organize these destructive takeovers, we will find you, we will dismantle your network, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” Uthmeier said in a release.
None of the bills signed Tuesday involved teen takeover events. But they do address a variety of law enforcement requests.
“I love a redemption arc. I love rehabilitation. But when you have some of these people that are career criminals, they are going to re-offend. And so you have to keep them off the street and make them serve their entire sentence,” DeSantis said prior to signing the bills on Tuesday.
One of the bills signed Tuesday is an increase in registration requirements for individuals designated as a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career criminal, or a three-time violent felony offender (SB 1332).
Among the changes intended to make “career offender” registration similar to the sexual offender registry, those repeat offenders must annually provide the local sheriff with their address, phone number, employment, vehicles, professional licenses and immigration status. They must also report changes of address, phone numbers and employment within 48 hours.
The law, effective Oct. 1, also requires a career offender to obtain the marking of “775.261,” on their driver license or identification card. The numbers refer to the section of state statutes defining “career offenders.”
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said the mark will help law enforcement officers.
“The career offender is not little Johnny going to steal a candy bar at the food store,” Glass said. “The career offender is the one who’s been deemed by the court that continuously keeps coming through here, and these are your violent ones.”
Another measure (HB 429) signed by DeSantis eases the criteria to determine if a person is a criminal gang member.
The bill allows someone’s spouse to identify them as a gang member, accepting online admissions of gang membership, and reducing the number of times a person must be seen in the company of gang members from four to two.
DeSantis also signed a bill (SB 156) requiring someone convicted of manslaughter against an active duty law enforcement officer to serve life in prison.
The bill is named after Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor who was shot and later died while questioning a suspect in 2021. Jurors found Othal Wallace, who resisted being detained, guilty of manslaughter, which carried a 30-year sentence.
“Officer Raynor’s murder was a dark time for his family and our law enforcement communities,” 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza said after the bill was signed. “This law brings some much needed protections to law enforcement and honors the life and sacrifice of Officer Raynor.”
A measure (SB 432) making it a first-degree felony to manufacture, sell or deliver xylazine outside its allowed use as animal drug products for veterinary purposes was also among the bills signed by DeSantis.
The bill also makes it a third-degree felony to sell or possess nitrous oxide, except for its approved uses at grocery stores and supermarkets.
Under another bill (SB 436) signed by DeSantis, someone with a prior conviction for “resisting an officer with violence” can see a first-degree misdemeanor battery charge upgraded to a third-degree felony.
–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida
JimboXYZ says
Hey, they can put “Safe Driver” on a lot of DL’s too for those that are playing by the rules. I have no problem marking the DL’s of those that break the rules constantly. The speeders/racers, the dui/dwi types, the pedophiles, the spouse abusers, illegals or any other low/no character types that have a trail of victims longer than I-10 runs from Jacksonville, FL to Los Angeles, CA. Raise your hand if you don’t give a damn if a recent council member were to have something on their DL that indicates that they habitually can’t keep their Ferrari under +/-90 mph in a 65 mph highway stretch without getting pulled over & flexing their elected position(s) for privilege ? I don’t put myself above anyone else, what is good for me is good for the rest of the human race. If I earned that designation on the DL, it needs to be on my DL too, just as the Safe Driver designation is prominently displayed. The thing is, the habitual won’t ever be on my DL, because I operate & function in life by the rules. Integrity in this world has to be rewarded, just like being a POS needs to warn others with who they’re dealing with. Nobody ever wanted to be their victim, it doesn’t feel good. Weak character shouldn’t be rewarded. Most times the folks that get pulled over are getting their just deserved. Even if it’s just a verbal or written warning.
Deborah Coffey says
Sounds about like the concentration camps Trump has instituted for “the worst of the worst”…most of whom never committed a crime. Police power like this is naked Fascism. DeSantis wants everyone with a mini-misdemeanor locked up to support his big funders in the prison industry.
JimboXYZ says
If one’s record is clean, what’s the problem ? The DL is a privilege, the bad grades are embarrassing, but didn’t they earn every one of them ? Just as a Safe Drive designation & clean record is like having valedictorian level grades. Be proud or shamed for that driving record, criminal background, let the insurance companies feast from the premiums of the habitual offenders. How many breaks or even got away with as undiscovered did the habitual offender with the designation on their license ?
Joe Hammerman says
Yeah, Let’s just start implement the Legally BRANDING process for everyone who has ever committed a CRIME?! Scarlet Letters for Everyone! Then we can start a new alphabet justice league and Scream for more Rights after the initial Rights were taken away……ALL in the Name of SAFTEY of course….because BRANDING citizens for the resto of their natural lives is just so JUST (SIEK lol).