House Bill 1451e1

                                          HB 1451, First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to law enforcement officers;

  3         creating the Law Enforcement Protection Act of

  4         1999; amending s. 776.06, F.S.; revising a

  5         definition; defining "less lethal munitions";

  6         limiting liability for certain actions;

  7         providing an effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Short title.--This act may be cited as the

12  "Law Enforcement Protection Act of 1999."

13         Section 2.  Section 776.06, Florida Statutes, is

14  amended to read:

15         776.06  Deadly force.--"Deadly force" means force which

16  is likely to cause death or great bodily harm and includes,

17  but is not limited to:

18         (1)  The firing of a firearm in the direction of the

19  person to be arrested, even though no intent exists to kill or

20  inflict great bodily harm; and

21         (2)  The firing of a firearm at a vehicle in which the

22  person to be arrested is riding.

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24  The discharge of a firearm, loaded with less lethal munitions

25  and discharged by a law enforcement or corrections officer

26  during and within the scope of his or her official duties

27  shall not be considered deadly force. "Less lethal munitions"

28  means projectiles which are designed to stun, temporarily

29  incapacitate, or cause temporary discomfort to a person

30  without penetrating the person's body. No law enforcement

31  officer, corrections officer, or his or her respective


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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






                                          HB 1451, First Engrossed



  1  employer shall be held liable, in any civil or criminal

  2  action, for using less lethal munitions in good faith during

  3  and within his or her official duties.

  4         Section 3.  This act shall take effect October 1, 1999.

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