Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to target false "swatting” (HB 279) calls.
The bill targets false complaints resulting in an emergency response, making it a third-degree felony if the report causes great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement or injury, and a second-degree felony if someone dies due to false reports.
Moreover, the bill cuts the number of false reports requiring a felony penalty from four to two, and puts the false reporter on the hook for the costs of prosecution and investigation, as well as for restitution for material damages to victims.
DeSantis spoke to Fox News about his plans to sign the bill earlier Wednesday, which he said will combat an “ideological bent” in malicious, false reports to police.
He noted during the press conference that conservative podcaster Benny Johnson recently was targeted in Tampa, and made the same case on cable news.
"We’ve had actually SWAT focused on conservative media personalities throughout the country, including in Florida," DeSantis said on America’s Newsroom.
Republican Senator Blaise Ingoglia, who backed the bill, said it provided more “deterrence” via “enhanced penalties” to “make sure the people who are actually calling are actually paying.”
Republican Senator Tom Wright, a former paramedic and K9 volunteer, noted that a false call puts vehicles and the public in jeopardy, especially given some communities have very little equipment.
“It’s not the right thing to do,” Wright said. “Anybody who’s watching this and thinks it’s funny to do this: no.”
Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County defended the bill and talked about other 911 calls that showed “rank stupidity,” with one person calling because he was hungry.
For the full read, visit Florida Politics.
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05.23.2025