DeSantis signs 5 laws cracking down on sexual predators, ability to abuse or ‘groom’ kids over the internet

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed several bills aimed at cracking down on the ability of sexual predators to “groom” children and lure potential victims over the internet. This bill also strengthens law enforcement’s ability to combat and punish these predators and child molesters.

“In Florida, we stand for the well-being and innocence of our children,” DeSantis said shortly after 10:45 a.m. at the Urban Still House in St. Petersburg, referring to five bills he signed shortly after his remarks. – HB 1131, HB 1235, HB 1545, HB 305, SB 1224 – designed to “ensure those who harm children are held accountable.”

“We have to intervene and we have to protect them,” the governor added.

The bill would ban adults from having certain communications with minors, increase penalties for exporting children, increase penalties for predators, and increase restrictions on people on the sex offender registry. It is said that

A Florida woman is accused of pretending to be 14 and sexually abusing teenage boys she met on social media.

DeSantis spoke at a podium with the words “Protect Our Children” written in all caps, along with Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highly Safe Vehicles, and several state legislators.

In his remarks, Florida’s governor praised lawmakers but said, “There’s always more work to be done.”

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“The rise of the internet and social media and all these different apps has become a playground for predators,” DeSantis said. “We just want kids to be kids.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) spoke along with Florida Department of Highly Safe Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner and several state legislators. (CHENEY ORR/AFP via Getty Images)

He also said the internet is a “big, big cesspool” for people who want to harm children.

The bills signed by the governor include:

• HB 1131 – Creates online sting operations to protect children and a grant program within Florida law enforcement agencies to facilitate these operations.
• HB 1235 – Creates stricter guidelines for sex offender registration, including eliminating loopholes that allow offenders to remain in one area while registering in another.
• SB 1224 – Strengthens and implements training for law enforcement agencies responding to domestic violence situations. For example, requiring the court to appoint a guardian for the child as soon as possible. The bill would also create a lethality assessment to determine whether a victim is at high risk of violence.
• HB 305 – Expands the evidence that can be introduced in child sexual abuse cases, including making child victims’ out-of-court statements admissible under certain circumstances.
• HB 1545 — Increase in child exploitation crimes. Creates the crime of harmful communications to minors and adds enforcement powers for those who talk to minors about sexual activity.

DeSantis ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 before suspending his campaign, joined by other state senators and state representatives. He was joined by Joseph Petitio, vice president of the Gaby Petitio Foundation, an organization he credited with helping pass the bill.

Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highly Safe Motor Vehicles, said the bill is “a very common sense addition to our criminal law.” (Paul Hennessy/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Kerner echoed DeSantis in saying the bill is “a very common sense addition to our criminal law.”

“It is unfair to simply call them perverts. They are manifestations of evil,” he added.

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State Sen. Jake Collins, an Army Green Beret, praised DeSantis for his “courage, candor and dedication” to protecting children.

“What makes Florida shine is dedication and commitment,” Collins said. “Thank you for leading the way here in Florida.”