CS/SB 70 — Domestic Violence Centers
by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs and Senator Garcia
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee (CF)
The bill creates s. 39.9057, F.S., making it a criminal offense for any person to maliciously publish, disseminate, or disclose any descriptive information or image that may identify the location of a domestic violence center certified under s. 39.905, F.S., or to otherwise maliciously disclose the location of a center.
A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable by up to one year imprisonment and a $1,000 fine for a first violation of this offense. The bill reclassifies the penalty from a first degree misdemeanor to a third degree felony for a second or subsequent violation. A third degree felony is punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
To the extent the bill creates a new first degree misdemeanor or third degree felony which results in persons being sentenced to jail or prison, it will likely have a positive insignificant jail or prison bed impact (i.e. an increase of 10 or fewer beds).
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2021.
Vote: Senate 39-0; House 117-0