Downloads
CS/CS/HB 67 — Protection of Specified Personnel
by Judiciary Committee; Criminal Justice Subcommittee; and Rep. Gottlieb and others (CS/CS/SB 174 by Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; Criminal Justice Committee; and Senators Polsky and Torres)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Criminal Justice Committee (CJ)
The bill amends s. 836.12, F.S., to add justice, judicial assistant, clerk of court, clerk personnel, and a family member of any of these officials or professionals, to the list of persons protected from threats of serious bodily harm or death under s. 836.12(2), F.S. The bill also requires a violation of s. 836.12(2), F.S., to be committed “knowingly and willfully.”
The bill creates a new first degree misdemeanor offense in s. 836.12(3), F.S., to prohibit a person from knowingly and willfully harassing a law enforcement officer, a state attorney, an assistant state attorney, a firefighter, a judge, a justice, a judicial assistant, a clerk of court, clerk personnel, or an elected official, with the intent to intimidate or coerce such a person to perform or refrain from performing a lawful duty.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect October 1, 2023.
Vote: Senate 34-0; House 114-0