By Drew Dixon
It’s now up to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign a measure that calls for increased penalties for child sexual predators.
The Senate has unanimously approved a measure designed to add mandatory sentences for those committing crimes against children. Sen. Jonathan Martin, a Fort Myers Republican, sponsored the Senate bill (SB 1750).
But Senators took up the House bill (HB 1159) sponsored by Rep. Berny Jacques, a Seminole Republican. The House approved that legislation last week.
The measures had some technical wording differences, but Martin said he was willing to go with the House version.
“This bill strengthens penalties for the most serious sexual offenses, particularly for those committed against children,” Martin said. “The bill also creates additional penalties for individuals, distribute or provide access to child sexual abuse material including through digital platforms.”
Repeat offenders will see minimum sentences increased from 10 years in prison to 15. Sentences for sexual performance with a child would jump from 20 years in prison to 30. And those convicted of buying or selling children would see minimum sentences increased from 20 years to 30.
The measure also covers offenders who possess pornographic images of children under 12 years old involving “sadomasochistic abuse” of a child, “sexual battery” or “sexual bestiality” involving a child, or any film, video or computer-generated images involving children.
Anyone convicted of those crimes, classified as a first-degree felony, would serve a minimum of 15 years in prison. If it’s a second-degree felony, that would draw a minimum of five years in prison.
Jacques added an amendment to the measure in the House that says possessing “childlike sex dolls” would count as a violation of the state’s childlike sex dolls act of 2021. That law prohibits sale and distribution of dolls resembling children.
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