Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 876
       
       
       
       By Senator Benacquisto
       
       
       
       
       27-00723-12                                            2012876__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to robbery by sudden snatching;
    3         amending s. 812.131, F.S.; clarifying that the offense
    4         of robbery by sudden snatching includes the taking of
    5         money or other property from the victim’s person or
    6         presence or from the area within the victim’s reach or
    7         control; providing criminal penalties; providing an
    8         effective date.
    9  
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Section 812.131, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   13  read:
   14         812.131 Robbery by sudden snatching.—
   15         (1)(a) “Robbery by sudden snatching” means the taking of
   16  money or other property from the victim’s person or presence or
   17  from the area within the victim’s reach or control, with intent
   18  to permanently or temporarily deprive the victim or the owner of
   19  the money or other property, when, in the course of the taking,
   20  the victim was or became aware of the taking. In order to
   21  satisfy this definition, it is not necessary to show that:
   22         1.(a) The offender used any amount of force beyond that
   23  effort necessary to obtain possession of the money or other
   24  property; or
   25         2.(b) There was any resistance offered by the victim to the
   26  offender or that there was injury to the victim’s person.
   27         (b)(3)(a) An act shall be deemed:
   28         1. “In the course of committing a robbery by sudden
   29  snatching” if the act occurs in an attempt to commit robbery by
   30  sudden snatching or in fleeing after the attempt or commission.
   31         2.(b) An act shall be deemed “In the course of the taking”
   32  if the act occurs prior to, contemporaneous with, or subsequent
   33  to the taking of the property and if such act and the act of
   34  taking constitute a continuous series of acts or events.
   35         (2)(a) If, in the course of committing a robbery by sudden
   36  snatching, the offender:
   37         (a) Carried a firearm or other deadly weapon, the offense
   38  robbery by sudden snatching is a felony of the second degree,
   39  punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
   40         (b) If, in the course of committing a robbery by sudden
   41  snatching, the offender Carried no firearm or other deadly
   42  weapon, the offense robbery by sudden snatching is a felony of
   43  the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.
   44  775.083, or s. 775.084.
   45         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.