Friday, April 28, 2023

Florida Enacts Ban on Religious and Ethnic Intimidation

NBC News reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, while in Israel, signed CS/CS/HB269 a bill (full text) that amends Florida's Public Nuisances law to prohibit threats and intimidation of various sorts. Among the provisions added by the new law is the following:

A person may not willfully and maliciously harass or intimidate another person based on the person's wearing or displaying of any indicia relating to any religious or ethnic heritage.

The law provides for enhanced sanctions if a person "in the course of committing the violation makes a credible threat to the person who is the subject of the harassment or intimidation...."