DeSantis wants law passed by November

Calls on lawmakers to pass crackdown on violent demonstrations

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis called on fellow GOP legislative leaders to pass a law increasing penalties on protesters who engage in violence or block roadways as soon as November instead of waiting until the next regular session in March.

DeSantis said the specter of violent demonstrations, which he said Florida hasn’t experienced to the degree cities in Washington, Oregon and Wisconsin have, means lawmakers should act as soon as their organizational session to give police and prosecutors more teeth to confront protesters.

“I mentioned to both [incoming legislative leaders] look, you guys are going to be here for the organizational session, it’s going to have broad support, certainly from the Republican caucuses in both chambers,” DeSantis told reporters in the Capitol on Tuesday after a Cabinet meeting. “It may be something where you need to act.”

The newly elected Legislature gathers two weeks after the general election for an organizational session, which typically features a ceremonial swearing-in of the

new lawmakers, election of legislative leaders and adoption of House and Senate rules.

No major legislation is considered or receives votes.

Incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, and incoming Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, spoke at DeSantis’ press conference Monday in support of his plan, but they were noncommittal about the prospect of a special session in November.

“If the newly elected legislature holds a special session, the Governor’s plan to protect people, neighborhoods and businesses from lawlessness would absolutely be a priority,” Sprowls said in a text message.

The proposed law would include minimum sixmonth jail terms for anyone found guilty of throwing an object at law officers. It would also define as felonies blocking roadways, taking down monuments, or harassing people in public.

Seven or more people “involved in an assembly [that causes] damage to property or injury to other persons” would be guilty of a felony as well. City and counties that try to “defund” the police would lose their state funding.

Opponents immediately called the proposal unconstitutional, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida vowed to fight the law in court if it passes.

“Governor, with all due respect, you’ve just declared war on our civil rights,” said state Rep. Shevrin Jones, D -West Park, during a virtual news conference in which Democratic lawmakers called DeSantis’ plan a violation of the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble.

“You already have laws on the books to address vandalism, to address looting,” added state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando. “We know this has nothing to do with public safety. It will lead to the arrests of more Black and brown people.”

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat, slammed the proposal to push through the bill, saying DeSantis is ignoring the pandemic and related crises surrounding the unemployment compensation system where Democrats have pushed for a special session but have been rebuffed by Republican legislative leaders.

“There [are] other issues that should be top priority,” Fried said. “We’re still dealing with COVID-19, we’re still having a health care issue, an education issue, a $5.4 billion revenue shortfall for the next (two) years … if they’re going to come back in and have any type of session, we should be dealing with issues that are actually impacting our state.”

DeSantis also said legislation to protect businesses from lawsuits related to patrons who contract COVID -19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, should be taken up alongside the protest bill.

DeSantis said he would prefer Congress to pass liability protections at the federal level, but said Florida should step in if they don’t, adding that it would help businesses reopen faster to remove the threat of lawsuits.

“There’s a lot of concern about liability. I think it holds the economy back,” DeSantis said.