Bill Text: FL S1208 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Reclassification of Crimes Evidencing Prejudice

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-03-14 - Died in Judiciary [S1208 Detail]

Download: Florida-2022-S1208-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1208
       
       
        
       By Senator Polsky
       
       
       
       
       
       29-00316D-22                                          20221208__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to reclassification of crimes
    3         evidencing prejudice; amending ss. 775.085 and
    4         775.0863, F.S.; providing for the reclassification of
    5         felony and misdemeanor offenses for defacing,
    6         damaging, or destroying a victim’s property based upon
    7         a perpetrator’s prejudice; defining the term “victim”;
    8         providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Section 775.085, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   13  read:
   14         775.085 Evidencing prejudice while committing offense;
   15  reclassification.—
   16         (2)(1)(a) The penalty for any felony or misdemeanor must
   17  shall be reclassified as provided in this subsection if the
   18  commission of such felony or misdemeanor evidences prejudice
   19  based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual
   20  orientation, national origin, homeless status, or advanced age
   21  of the victim:
   22         (a)1. A misdemeanor of the second degree is reclassified to
   23  a misdemeanor of the first degree.
   24         (b)2. A misdemeanor of the first degree is reclassified to
   25  a felony of the third degree.
   26         (c)3. A felony of the third degree is reclassified to a
   27  felony of the second degree.
   28         (d)4. A felony of the second degree is reclassified to a
   29  felony of the first degree.
   30         (e)5. A felony of the first degree is reclassified to a
   31  life felony.
   32         (1)(b) As used in this section paragraph (a), the term:
   33         (a)1. “Advanced age” means that the victim is older than 65
   34  years of age.
   35         (b)2. “Homeless status” means that the victim:
   36         1.a. Lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
   37  residence; or
   38         2.b. Has a primary nighttime residence that is:
   39         a.(I) A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter
   40  designed to provide temporary living accommodations; or
   41         b.(II) A public or private place not designed for, or
   42  ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human
   43  beings.
   44         (c)“Victim” includes, but is not limited to, all of the
   45  following:
   46         1.An individual.
   47         2.A public or private organization that owns property that
   48  is defaced, damaged, or destroyed based upon the perpetrator’s
   49  prejudice against a person or a group within a class delineated
   50  in this section.
   51         3.A state or local governmental entity as defined in s.
   52  164.1031 which owns property that is defaced, damaged, or
   53  destroyed based upon the perpetrator’s prejudice against a
   54  person or a group within a class delineated in this section.
   55         (3)(2) A person or an organization that establishes by
   56  clear and convincing evidence that it has been coerced,
   57  intimidated, or threatened in violation of this section has a
   58  civil cause of action for treble damages, an injunction, or any
   59  other appropriate relief in law or in equity. Upon prevailing in
   60  such civil action, the plaintiff may recover reasonable attorney
   61  fees and costs.
   62         (4)(3) It is an essential element of this section that the
   63  record reflect that the defendant perceived, knew, or had
   64  reasonable grounds to know or perceive that the victim was
   65  within a the class delineated in this section.
   66         Section 2. Section 775.0863, Florida Statutes, is amended
   67  to read:
   68         775.0863 Evidencing prejudice while committing offense
   69  against person with mental or physical disability;
   70  reclassification.—
   71         (2)(1)(a) The penalty for any felony or misdemeanor must
   72  shall be reclassified as provided in this subsection if the
   73  commission of such felony or misdemeanor evidences prejudice
   74  based on a mental or physical disability of the victim:
   75         (a)1. A misdemeanor of the second degree is reclassified to
   76  a misdemeanor of the first degree.
   77         (b)2. A misdemeanor of the first degree is reclassified to
   78  a felony of the third degree.
   79         (c)3. A felony of the third degree is reclassified to a
   80  felony of the second degree.
   81         (d)4. A felony of the second degree is reclassified to a
   82  felony of the first degree.
   83         (e)5. A felony of the first degree is reclassified to a
   84  life felony.
   85         (1)(b) As used in this section paragraph (a), the term:
   86         (a) “Mental or physical disability” means a condition of
   87  mental or physical incapacitation due to a developmental
   88  disability, organic brain damage, or mental illness, and one or
   89  more mental or physical limitations that restrict a person’s
   90  ability to perform the normal activities of daily living.
   91         (b)“Victim” includes, but is not limited to, all of the
   92  following:
   93         1.An individual.
   94         2.A public or private organization that owns property that
   95  is defaced, damaged, or destroyed based upon the perpetrator’s
   96  prejudice against a person or a group within the class
   97  delineated in this section.
   98         3.A state or local governmental entity as defined in s.
   99  164.1031 which owns property that is defaced, damaged, or
  100  destroyed based upon the perpetrator’s prejudice against a
  101  person or a group within the class delineated in this section.
  102         (3)(2) A person or an organization that establishes by
  103  clear and convincing evidence that it has been coerced,
  104  intimidated, or threatened in violation of this section has a
  105  civil cause of action for treble damages, an injunction, or any
  106  other appropriate relief in law or in equity. Upon prevailing in
  107  such civil action, the plaintiff may recover reasonable attorney
  108  fees and costs.
  109         (4)(3) It is an essential element of this section that the
  110  record reflect that the defendant perceived, knew, or had
  111  reasonable grounds to know or perceive that the victim was
  112  within the class delineated in this section.
  113         Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2022.

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