Florida Senate - 2022                                     SB 370
       
       
        
       By Senator Hooper
       
       
       
       
       
       16-00579-22                                            2022370__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to offenses against firefighters;
    3         amending s. 782.065, F.S.; providing enhanced
    4         penalties for certain offenses committed against
    5         firefighters engaged in the performance of their
    6         lawful duties; providing an effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Section 782.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   11  read:
   12         782.065 Murder; law enforcement officer, correctional
   13  officer, correctional probation officer, firefighter.
   14  Notwithstanding ss. 775.082, 775.0823, 782.04, 782.051, and
   15  chapter 921, a defendant shall be sentenced to life imprisonment
   16  without eligibility for release upon findings by the trier of
   17  fact that, beyond a reasonable doubt:
   18         (1) The defendant committed murder in the first degree in
   19  violation of s. 782.04(1) and a death sentence was not imposed;
   20  murder in the second or third degree in violation of s.
   21  782.04(2), (3), or (4); attempted murder in the first or second
   22  degree in violation of s. 782.04(1)(a)1. or (2); or attempted
   23  felony murder in violation of s. 782.051; and
   24         (2) The victim of any offense described in subsection (1)
   25  was a law enforcement officer, part-time law enforcement
   26  officer, auxiliary law enforcement officer, correctional
   27  officer, part-time correctional officer, auxiliary correctional
   28  officer, correctional probation officer, part-time correctional
   29  probation officer, or auxiliary correctional probation officer,
   30  as those terms are defined in s. 943.10, or was a firefighter as
   31  defined in s. 633.102, engaged in the lawful performance of a
   32  legal duty.
   33         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2022.