Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1238
       
       
        
       By Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00733A-24                                          20241238__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to lewd or lascivious grooming;
    3         amending s. 800.04, F.S.; creating the offense of lewd
    4         or lascivious grooming; providing criminal penalties;
    5         providing an effective date.
    6          
    7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    8  
    9         Section 1. Present subsection (8) of section 800.04,
   10  Florida Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (9), and a new
   11  subsection (8) is added to that section, to read:
   12         800.04 Lewd or lascivious offenses committed upon or in the
   13  presence of persons less than 16 years of age.—
   14         (8) LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS GROOMING.—
   15         (a) A person who engages in the process of preparing or
   16  encouraging a child to engage in sexual activity through overtly
   17  sexually themed communication with the child or in conduct with
   18  or observed by the child without permission from the child’s
   19  parent or legal guardian commits lewd or lascivious grooming.
   20         (b) A person 18 years of age or older who commits lewd or
   21  lascivious grooming commits a felony of the second degree,
   22  punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
   23         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2024.