Florida passes anti riot bill granting immunity to people who drive through rioters amid riots. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Florida Governor Ron Desantis next week.
Democrats and Leftist activists claim it will stifle free speech while conservatives are cheering on the legislation in hopes that it will finally put an end to the ongoing BLM riots and antifa riots
Among other things, HB 1 will grant civil legal immunity to people who drive through protesters blocking a road. It will prevent people arrested for rioting or offenses committed during a riot from bailing out of jail until their first court appearance. It will also impose a six-month mandatory sentence for battery on a police officer during a riot.
CS/HB 1: Combating Public Disorder
General Bill by Judiciary Committee and Juan Fernandez-Barquin and Byrd (CO-SPONSORS) Andrade; Barnaby; Brannan; DiCeglie; Drake; Fine; Giallombardo; Gregory; Harding; Maggard; Maney; McClain; Plakon; Roach; Rommel; Sabatini; Sirois; Snyder; Yarborough
Combating Public Disorder: Authorizing specified elected officials to file an appeal to the Administration Commission if the governing body of a municipality makes a specified reduction to the operating budget of the municipal law enforcement agency; providing that a municipality has a duty to allow the municipal law enforcement agency to respond to a riot or unlawful assembly in a specified manner based on specified circumstances; reclassifying the penalty for an assault committed in furtherance of a riot or an aggravated riot; prohibiting cyberintimidation by publication; prohibiting a person from willfully participating in a specified violent public disturbance resulting in specified damage or injury; creating an affirmative defense to a civil action where the plaintiff participated in a riot, etc.
Effective Date: upon becoming a law
Last Event: Signed by Officers and presented to Governor on Friday, April 16, 2021 4:10 PM
