Senate Bill 0278c1

    Florida Senate - 2000                            CS for SB 278

    By the Committee on Criminal Justice and Senator Saunders





    307-1946-00

  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 for a person to knowingly and

  7         willfully shine the beam of a laser lighting

  8         device at a law enforcement officer in such a

  9         manner as to cause the law enforcement officer

10         to believe that a firearm is pointed at him or

11         her; providing penalties; providing an

12         effective 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 Senate - 2000                            CS for SB 278
    307-1946-00




  1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  2                         Senate Bill 278

  3

  4  The CS eliminated the third degree felony and first degree
    misdemeanor offenses created in the original bill. The CS
  5  creates a second degree misdemeanor offense for knowingly and
    willfully shining a laser pointer at a law enforcement officer
  6  who is engaged in the performance of his or her official
    duties, in such a manner that would cause a reasonable person
  7  to believe that a firearm is being pointed at them.

  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