TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Measures to crack down on participants in “street takeovers” and bolster school safety were among 16 bills Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Monday.
DeSantis’ office announced late Monday that he had signed the bills, which passed during the legislative session that ended March 8.
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One of the bills (SB 1764) targets “coordinated” events where 10 or more vehicles are involved in street takeovers. It will increase fines and potential jail time for people who participate.
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Rep. Kiyan Michael, a Jacksonville Republican who co-sponsored the bill, said in February the issue is a “public safety” problem that occurs from Jacksonville to Miami. She also said current penalties have not been a deterrent for many people.
Under the bill, for example, maximum fines for first-time offenses will increase from $1,000 to $2,000. People who commit second offenses within a year could face third-degree felony charges, up from a first degree misdemeanor charge. The bill will take effect July 1.
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Rep. Doug Bankson, an Apopka Republican and bill co-sponsor, said in March that life-threatening street racing is increasing statewide because of popular video games and movies.
The “young population are emboldened to emulate what they’re seeing on the screen, whether it be the movie screen, TV screen or computer screen,” Bankson said. “The problem is that life does not allow a do-over with a simple push of a button.”
DeSantis also signed a wide-ranging school-safety measure (HB 1473) that, in part, sets new perimeter and door-safety requirements that will have to be in place before next school year.
A House staff analysis said the bill will require entryways to be closed and locked when students are on campus and “actively staffed” when open or unlocked.
Also, the measure will require people who intend to fly drones over schools to first get permission from school officials.
Violators will face second-degree misdemeanor charges, with first-degree misdemeanors for subsequent violations. Penalties will be more severe for people who fly drones over schools to capture video.
Florida law already bars people from operating drones over what are known as “critical infrastructure” facilities, which include power generation or transmission facilities, wastewater treatment plants, airports and seaports.
“In today’s world with technology and you know, drones, you can get a drone with a camera for fairly inexpensive and, if there was somebody with the intent to do something to school, they may do their own recon work to see what the school campus is before they entered the campus,” said News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney, “They could fly a drone over and you know, see where security was see where police were see, you know, if there’s a door open or if there’s a gate open, and they can do that remotely without ever laying foot on a campus.”
The bill also specifically changes the certification process for school guardians, who are highly trained armed personnel put in place to respond quickly to a deadly threat.
“Their duty as guardians there is to stop a school shooting, it’s not to really provide any other kind of security at the school. And they’re pretty clear with their legislative intent with what they want them to do,” Hackney said.
Hackney was JSO’s Director of Personnel and Professional Standards around the same time a shooter gained access to Parkland High School in February of 2018. After the tragic deaths of 17 people there, Florida passed sweeping reforms to strengthen school safety, including adding the School Guardian program which gives school districts the option to hire armed guards in place of law enforcement.
House Bill 1473:
- Requires the sheriff’s office to be responsible for certifying school guardians AND requiring them to report to the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement)
- In turn, FDLE will have to keep a list of each person appointed as a school guardian
- And private schools are required to pay for background screening and training for school guardians
Additionally, the bill, put safeguards in place, to prevent a mass shooter access a school, in the same way the Uvalde school shooter gained access before killing 19 students and two teachers. He gained entry through a door that was propped open. Florida’s law mandates exits and entrances be always secured when students are on campus, and entryways have to “actively staffed” when opened or unlocked.
Another bill signed by DeSantis will provide just over $1 million for fighting sex trafficking at massage establishments.
With the state seeking to better identify people engaged in human trafficking at such establishments, the bill (HB 197) will fund eight full-time positions at the Florida Department of Health to investigate an anticipated increase in complaints about the businesses.
The measure also will increase situations in which the agency can suspend licenses of massage therapists or massage establishments.
“The bill expressly prohibits any sexual activity in a massage establishment, as opposed to sexual misconduct which is prohibited under current law, and prohibits the use of an establishment to arrange for sexual activity in another location,” a staff analysis of the bill said.
The measure, which will take effect July 1, also will prohibit massage therapists or establishments from advertising through any outlet used to promote prostitution or escort services.
A staff analysis of the bill said 70 administrative complaints involving sexual misconduct were filed against massage therapists and massage establishments during the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The state had 8,966 licensed massage establishments during that time.