TALLAHASSEE (LifeSiteNews) – Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Wednesday increasing criminal penalties for the practice of “swatting,” a particularly extreme form of harassment that uses law enforcement to terrorize and potentially even kill targets.
Starting July 1, HB 279 raises the practice of calling 911 “for the purpose of making a false alarm or complaint or reporting false information that could result in the emergency response of any public safety agency” to a third-degree felony if it causes “[g]reat bodily harm, permanent disfigurement, or permanent disability to any person as a proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of the emergency response”; and a second-degree felony if it causes death.
In Florida, third-degree felonies are punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000, and second-degree felonies up to 15 years and up to $10,000.
It also reduces the number of repeat offenses needed to escalate swatting offenses without such results to felony status and requires those convicted to pay both the costs of investigating and prosecuting them and “[r]estitution to a responding public safety agency and any other victim who suffers damage or injury.”
“We’ve had actually SWAT focused on conservative media personalities throughout the country, including in Florida. So there has been somewhat of an ideological bent to this,” DeSantis said, Florida Politics reports.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd added that the bill will help clear up 911 lines for genuine emergencies, which are too often delayed by petty, foolish, or malicious calls for everything from fake home invasions to simple complaints of being hungry, all of which tie up resources needed to “save someone’s life.”
In March, Breitbart News reported that no less than 15 right-of-center public figures had been the victims of swatting, which at bare minimum frightens innocent people and wastes law enforcement time and resources, but can easily create confusing, dangerous situations in which someone opens fire. Among the victims have been journalist Nick Sortor, talk radio host Joe Pagliarulo, Townhall columnist Dustin Grage, and even Bill Clinton sexual abuse survivor Juanita Broaddrick.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemned the swatting wave and vowed to investigate.
“Weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers. That will not be tolerated,” Patel said. “We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes.”
