Florida 2025 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0279 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 03/13/2025

                       
 
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A bill to be entitled 1 
An act relating to the misuse of emergency 2 
communications systems; amending s. 365.172, F.S.; 3 
providing enhanced criminal penalties for a specified 4 
violation relating to the use of emergency 5 
communications services which results in great bodily 6 
harm, permanent disfigurement, permanent disability, 7 
or death; requiring courts to order restitution for 8 
certain damages and injuries; providing requirements 9 
for such restitution; amending s. 921.0022, F.S.; 10 
ranking offenses on the offense severity ranking chart 11 
of the Criminal Punishment Code; providing an 12 
effective date. 13 
 14 
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15 
 16 
 Section 1.  Subsection (14) of se ction 365.172, Florida 17 
Statutes, is amended to read: 18 
 365.172  Emergency communications. — 19 
 (14)  MISUSE OF 911, E911, OR NG911 SYSTEM; PENALTY. —911, 20 
E911, and NG911 service must be used solely for emergency 21 
communications by the public. 22 
 (a)  A any person who does any of the following commits a 23 
misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 24 
775.082 or s. 775.083: 25     
 
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 1. Accesses the number 911 for the purpose of making a 26 
false alarm or complaint or reporting false information that 27 
could result in the emergency response of any public safety 28 
agency.; any person who 29 
 2. Knowingly uses or attempts to use such service for a 30 
purpose other than obtaining public safety assistance .; or any 31 
person who 32 
 3. Knowingly uses or attempts to use such service i n an 33 
effort to avoid any charge for service , commits a misdemeanor of 34 
the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 35 
775.083. 36 
 (b)  If a person violates subparagraph (a)1. and the 37 
subsequent emergency response by a public safety agency result s 38 
in: 39 
 1.  Great bodily harm, permanent disfigurement, or 40 
permanent disability to any person as a proximate result of 41 
lawful conduct arising out of the emergency response, the person 42 
commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 43 
s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 44 
 2.  Death to any person as a proximate result of lawful 45 
conduct arising out of the emergency response, the person 46 
commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in 47 
s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 48 
 (c) After being convicted of unauthorized use of emergency 49 
communications services such service four times, a person who 50     
 
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continues to engage in such unauthorized use commits a felony of 51 
the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 52 
775.083, or s. 775.084. 53 
 (d)  A court shall order any person convicted of violating 54 
this subsection to pay restitution to a responding public safety 55 
agency and any other victim who suffers damage or injury as a 56 
proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of an emergenc y 57 
response. The restitution must include the full payment of any 58 
cost incurred by a responding public safety agency In addition, 59 
if the value of the service or the service charge obtained in a 60 
manner prohibited by this subsection exceeds $100, the person 61 
committing the offense commits a felony of the third degree, 62 
punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084 . 63 
 Section 2.  Paragraphs (b) and (e) of subsection (3) of 64 
section 921.0022, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 65 
 921.0022 Criminal Punishment Code; offense severity 66 
ranking chart.— 67 
 (3)  OFFENSE SEVERITY RANKING CHART 68 
 (b)  LEVEL 2 69 
 70 
Florida 
Statute 
Felony 
Degree 	Description 
 71 
365.172(14)(b)1. 3rd Misuse of emergency 
communications system causing     
 
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great bodily harm, permanent 
disfigurement, or permanent 
disability. 
 72 
379.2431 
  (1)(e)3. 
3rd Possession of 11 or fewer 
marine turtle eggs in violation 
of the Marine Turtle Protection 
Act. 
 73 
379.2431 
  (1)(e)4. 
3rd Possession of more than 11 
marine turtle eggs in violation 
of the Marine Turtle Protection 
Act. 
 74 
403.413(6)(c) 3rd Dumps waste litter exceeding 
500 lbs. in weight or 100 cubic 
feet in volume or any quantity 
for commercial purposes, or 
hazardous waste. 
 75 
517.07(2) 3rd Failure to furnish a prospectus 
meeting requirements. 
 76 
590.28(1) 3rd Intentional burning of lands. 
 77     
 
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784.03(3) 3rd Battery during a riot or an 
aggravated riot. 
 78 
784.05(3) 3rd Storing or leaving a loaded 
firearm within reach of minor 
who uses it to inflict injury 
or death. 
 79 
787.04(1) 3rd In violation of court order, 
take, entice, etc., minor 
beyond state limits. 
 80 
806.13(1)(b)3. 3rd Criminal mischief; damage 
$1,000 or more to public 
communication or any other 
public service. 
 81 
806.13(3) 3rd Criminal mischief; damage of 
$200 or more to a memorial or 
historic property. 
 82 
810.061(2) 3rd Impairing or impeding telephone 
or power to a dwelling; 
facilitating or furthering 
burglary.     
 
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 83 
810.09(2)(d) 3rd Trespassing on posted 
commercial horticulture 
property. 
 84 
812.014(2)(c)1. 3rd Grand theft, 3rd degree; $750 
or more but less than $5,000. 
 85 
812.014(2)(d)1. 3rd Grand theft, 3rd degree; $40 or 
more but less than $750, taken 
from dwelling or its unenclosed 
curtilage. 
 86 
812.014(2)(e)2. 3rd Petit theft, 1st degree; less 
than $40 taken from dwelling or 
its unenclosed curtilage with 
one prior theft conviction. 
 87 
812.015(7) 3rd Possession, use, or attempted 
use of an antishoplifting or 
inventory control device 
countermeasure. 
 88 
817.234(1)(a)2. 3rd False statement in support of 
insurance claim.     
 
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 89 
817.481(3)(a) 3rd Obtain credit or purchase with 
false, expired, counterfeit, 
etc., credit card, value over 
$300. 
 90 
817.52(3) 3rd Failure to redeliver hired 
vehicle. 
 91 
817.54 	3rd With intent to defraud, obtain 
mortgage note, etc., by false 
representation. 
 92 
817.60(5) 3rd Dealing in credit cards of 
another. 
 93 
817.60(6)(a) 3rd Forgery; purchase goods, 
services with false card. 
 94 
817.61 	3rd Fraudulent use of credit cards 
over $100 or more within 6 
months. 
 95 
826.04 	3rd Knowingly marries or has sexual 
intercourse with person to whom     
 
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related. 
 96 
831.01 	3rd Forgery. 
 97 
831.02 	3rd Uttering forged instrument; 
utters or publishes alteration 
with intent to defraud. 
 98 
831.07 	3rd Forging bank bills, checks, 
drafts, or promissory notes. 
 99 
831.08 	3rd Possessing 10 or more forged 
notes, bills, checks, or 
drafts. 
 100 
831.09 	3rd Uttering forged notes, bills, 
checks, drafts, or promissory 
notes. 
 101 
831.11 	3rd Bringing into the state forged 
bank bills, checks, drafts, or 
notes. 
 102 
832.05(3)(a) 3rd Cashing or depositing item with 
intent to defraud.     
 
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 103 
843.01(2) 3rd Resist police canine or police 
horse with violence; under 
certain circumstances. 
 104 
843.08 	3rd False personation. 
 105 
843.19(3) 3rd Touch or strike police, fire, 
SAR canine or police horse. 
 106 
893.13(2)(a)2. 3rd Purchase of any s. 
893.03(1)(c), (2)(c)1., 
(2)(c)2., (2)(c)3., (2)(c)6., 
(2)(c)7., (2)(c)8., (2)(c)9., 
(2)(c)10., (3), or (4) drugs 
other than cannabis. 
 107 
893.147(2) 3rd Manufacture or delivery of drug 
paraphernalia. 
 108 
 (e)  LEVEL 5 109 
 110 
Florida 
Statute 
Felony 
Degree 	Description 
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316.027(2)(a) 3rd Accidents involving personal 
injuries other than serious 
bodily injury, failure to stop; 
leaving scene. 
 112 
316.1935(4)(a) 2nd Aggravated fleeing or eluding. 
 113 
316.80(2) 2nd Unlawful conveyance of fuel; 
obtaining fuel fraudulently. 
 114 
322.34(6) 3rd Careless operation of motor 
vehicle with suspended license, 
resulting in death or serious 
bodily injury. 
 115 
327.30(5) 3rd Vessel accidents involving 
personal injury; leaving scene. 
 116 
365.172(14)(b)2. 2nd Misuse of emergency 
communications system resulting 
in death. 
 117 
379.365(2)(c)1. 3rd Violation of rules relating to: 
willful molestation of stone 
crab traps, lines, or buoys;     
 
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illegal bartering, trading, or 
sale, conspiring or aiding in 
such barter, trade, or sale, or 
supplying, agreeing to supply, 
aiding in supplying, or giving 
away stone crab trap tags or 
certificates; making, altering, 
forging, counterfeiting, or 
reproducing stone crab trap 
tags; possession of forged, 
counterfeit, or imitation stone 
crab trap tags; and engaging in 
the commercial harvest of stone 
crabs while license is 
suspended or revoked. 
 118 
379.367(4) 3rd Willful molestation of a 
commercial harvester's spiny 
lobster trap, line, or buoy. 
 119 
379.407(5)(b)3. 3rd Possession of 100 or more 
undersized spiny lobsters. 
 120 
381.0041(11)(b) 3rd Donate blood, plasma, or organs 
knowing HIV positive.     
 
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 121 
440.10(1)(g) 2nd Failure to obtain workers' 
compensation coverage. 
 122 
440.105(5) 2nd Unlawful solicitation for the 
purpose of making workers' 
compensation claims. 
 123 
440.381(2) 3rd Submission of false, 
misleading, or incomplete 
information with the purpose of 
avoiding or reducing workers' 
compensation premiums. 
 124 
624.401(4)(b)2. 2nd Transacting insurance without a 
certificate or authority; 
premium collected $20,000 or 
more but less than $100,00 0. 
 125 
626.902(1)(c) 2nd Representing an unauthorized 
insurer; repeat offender. 
 126 
790.01(3) 3rd Unlawful carrying of a 
concealed firearm. 
 127     
 
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790.162 	2nd Threat to throw or discharge 
destructive device. 
 128 
790.163(1) 2nd False report of bomb, 
explosive, weapon of mass 
destruction, or use of firearms 
in violent manner. 
 129 
790.221(1) 2nd Possession of short-barreled 
shotgun or machine gun. 
 130 
790.23 	2nd Felons in possession of 
firearms, ammunition, or 
electronic weapons or devices. 
 131 
796.05(1) 2nd Live on earnings of a 
prostitute; 1st offense. 
 132 
800.04(6)(c) 3rd Lewd or lascivious conduct; 
offender less than 18 years of 
age. 
 133 
800.04(7)(b) 2nd Lewd or lascivious exhibition; 
offender 18 years of age or 
older.     
 
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 134 
806.111(1) 3rd Possess, manufacture, or 
dispense fire bomb with intent 
to damage any structure or 
property. 
 135 
810.145(4)(c) 3rd Commercial digital voyeurism 
dissemination. 
 136 
810.145(7)(a) 2nd Digital voyeurism; 2nd or 
subsequent offense. 
 137 
810.145(8)(a) 2nd Digital voyeurism; certain 
minor victims. 
 138 
812.014(2)(d)3. 2nd Grand theft, 2nd degree; theft 
from 20 or more dwellings or 
their unenclosed curtilage, or 
any combination. 
 139 
812.0145(2)(b) 2nd Theft from person 65 years of 
age or older; $10,000 or more 
but less than $50,000. 
 140 
812.015 	3rd Retail theft; property stolen     
 
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  (8)(a) & (c)-
(e) 
is valued at $750 or more and 
one or more specified acts. 
 141 
812.015(8)(f) 3rd Retail theft; multiple thefts 
within specified period. 
 142 
812.015(8)(g) 3rd Retail theft; committed with 
specified number of o ther 
persons. 
 143 
812.019(1) 2nd Stolen property; dealing in or 
trafficking in. 
 144 
812.081(3) 2nd Trafficking in trade secrets. 
 145 
812.131(2)(b) 3rd Robbery by sudden snatching. 
 146 
812.16(2) 3rd Owning, operating, or 
conducting a chop shop. 
 147 
817.034(4)(a)2. 2nd Communications fraud, value 
$20,000 to $50,000. 
 148 
817.234(11)(b) 2nd Insurance fraud; property value 
$20,000 or more but less than     
 
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$100,000. 
 149 
817.2341(1), 
  (2)(a) & 
(3)(a) 
3rd Filing false financial 
statements, making false 
entries of material fact or 
false statements regarding 
property values relating to the 
solvency of an insuring entity. 
 150 
817.568(2)(b) 2nd Fraudulent use of personal 
identification information; 
value of benefit, services 
received, payment avoided, or 
amount of injury or fraud, 
$5,000 or more or use of 
personal identification 
information of 10 or more 
persons. 
 151 
817.611(2)(a) 2nd Traffic in or possess 5 to 14 
counterfeit credit cards or 
related documents. 
 152 
817.625(2)(b) 2nd Second or subsequent fraudulent 
use of scanning device,     
 
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skimming device, or reencoder. 
 153 
825.1025(4) 3rd Lewd or lascivious exhibition 
in the presence of an elderly 
person or disabled adult. 
 154 
828.12(2) 3rd Tortures any animal with intent 
to inflict intense pain, 
serious physical injury, or 
death. 
 155 
836.14(4) 2nd Person who willfully promotes 
for financial gain a sexually 
explicit image of an 
identifiable person without 
consent. 
 156 
839.13(2)(b) 2nd Falsifying records of an 
individual in the care and 
custody of a state agency 
involving great bodily harm or 
death. 
 157 
843.01(1) 3rd Resist officer with violence to 
person; resist arrest with     
 
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violence. 
 158 
847.0135(5)(b) 2nd Lewd or lascivious exhibition 
using computer; offender 18 
years or older. 
 159 
847.0137 
  (2) & (3) 
3rd Transmission of pornography by 
electronic device or equipment. 
 160 
847.0138 
  (2) & (3) 
3rd Transmission of material 
harmful to minors to a minor by 
electronic device or equipment. 
 161 
874.05(1)(b) 2nd Encouraging or recruiting 
another to join a criminal 
gang; second or subsequent 
offense. 
 162 
874.05(2)(a) 2nd Encouraging or recruiting 
person under 13 years of age to 
join a criminal gang. 
 163 
893.13(1)(a)1. 2nd Sell, manufacture, or deliver 
cocaine (or other s. 
893.03(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d),     
 
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(2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. 
drugs). 
 164 
893.13(1)(c)2. 2nd Sell, manufacture, or deliver 
cannabis (or other s. 
893.03(1)(c), (2)(c)1., 
(2)(c)2., (2)(c)3., (2)(c)6., 
(2)(c)7., (2)(c)8., (2)(c)9., 
(2)(c)10., (3), or (4) drugs) 
within 1,000 feet of a child 
care facility, school, or 
state, county, or municipal 
park or publicly owned 
recreational facility or 
community center. 
 165 
893.13(1)(d)1. 1st Sell, manufacture, or deliver 
cocaine (or other s. 
893.03(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), 
(2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. 
drugs) within 1,000 feet of 
university. 
 166 
893.13(1)(e)2. 2nd Sell, manufacture, or deliver 
cannabis or other drug     
 
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prohibited under s. 
893.03(1)(c), (2)(c)1., 
(2)(c)2., (2)(c)3., (2)(c)6., 
(2)(c)7., (2)(c)8., (2)(c)9., 
(2)(c)10., (3), or (4) within 
1,000 feet of property used for 
religious services or a 
specified business site. 
 167 
893.13(1)(f)1. 1st Sell, manufacture, or deliver 
cocaine (or other s. 
893.03(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), 
or (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. 
drugs) within 1,000 feet of 
public housing facility. 
 168 
893.13(4)(b) 2nd Use or hire of minor; deliver 
to minor other controlled 
substance. 
 169 
893.1351(1) 3rd Ownership, lease, or rental for 
trafficking in or manufacturing 
of controlled substance. 
 170 
 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 171