House Bill 1461

    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1461

        By the Committee on Law Enforcement & Crime Prevention and
    Representative Futch





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the misuse of hand-held

  3         laser lighting devices; creating s. 784.062,

  4         F.S.; defining the term "laser lighting

  5         device"; providing that it is a second degree

  6         misdemeanor to knowingly and willfully shine

  7         the beam of a laser lighting device at a law

  8         enforcement officer in such a manner as to

  9         cause the law enforcement officer to believe

10         that a firearm is pointed at him or her;

11         providing a penalty; providing an effective

12         date.

13

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

15

16         Section 1.  Section 784.062, Florida Statutes, is

17  created to read:

18         784.062  Misuse of laser lighting devices.--

19         (1)  As used in this section, the term "laser lighting

20  device" means a hand-held device, not affixed to a firearm,

21  which emits a laser beam that is designed to be used by the

22  operator as a pointer or highlighter to indicate, mark, or

23  identify a specific position, place, item, or object.

24         (2)  Any person who knowingly and willfully shines,

25  points, or focuses the beam of a laser lighting device at a

26  law enforcement officer, engaged in the performance of his or

27  her official duties, in such a manner that would cause a

28  reasonable person to believe that a firearm is pointed at him

29  or her commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable

30  as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

31         Section 2.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2000.

                                  1

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HB 1461

    604-147A-00






  1            *****************************************

  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Provides that it is a second degree misdemeanor to
  4    knowingly and willfully shine the beam of a laser
      lighting device, commonly known as a "laser pointer," at
  5    a law enforcement officer in such a manner as to cause
      the law enforcement officer to believe that a firearm is
  6    pointed at him or her.

  7

  8

  9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  2