By Drew Dixon Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed two measures designed to increase protections for children. At a ceremony in Tampa, DeSantis signed a House bill known as “Missy’s Law” (HB 445) and another measure (HB 1159) designed to set increased...
By Drew Dixon
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed two measures designed to increase protections for children.
At a ceremony in Tampa, DeSantis signed a House bill known as “Missy’s Law” (HB 445) and another measure (HB 1159) designed to set increased mandatory penalties for child sexual offenders.
“Missy’s Law,” sponsored by St. Augustine Republican Rep. Sam Greco, is named after a 5-year-old girl, Melissa “Missy” Mogle, who was killed in May in Tallahassee. Her stepfather, Daniel Spencer, was already convicted of traveling to meet a minor and was on bond awaiting a prison sentence. Between his conviction and his sentencing date, investigators say he abused Missy, who died by asphyxiation.
“An individual would not be eligible for post-conviction release. That’s the period of time in between conviction and sentencing,” Greco said in an interview with Florida Politics, explaining the purpose of the legislation.
The death of the girl “was totally preventable,” DeSantis said, adding the case was “a miscarriage of justice.”
Spencer was also investigated for abusing Missy as early as 2024. Missy’s mother, Chloe Spencer, was also arrested on charges connected to the death.
The other bill (HB 1159) DeSantis signed Tuesday will put child predators behind bars for substantially more time.
The measure, sponsored by Seminole Republican Rep. Berny Jacques, covers offenders who possess pornographic images of children under 12 years old and involve “sadomasochistic abuse” of a child, “sexual battery” or “sexual bestiality” involving a child, or any film, video or computer-generated images involving children.
Anyone convicted of those crimes, classified as a first-degree felony, would serve a minimum of 15 years in prison. If it’s a second-degree felony, that would draw a minimum of five years in prison.
Repeat offenders will also face increased penalties. The measure also calls for mandatory sentences for sexual activity with animals.
Attorney General James Uthmeier was also at the signing ceremony and said the legislation was welcomed.
“There’s no state that’s doing more to go after predators who go after children … than our leaders in Florida,” Uthmeier said. “We will come after you in Florida with everything we got.”
Uthmeier has overseen dozens of arrests of child predators since he took over the Attorney General’s Office in the past year.
The post by FloridaPolitics.com appears on South Florida Reporter.
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