SB 1416 — Assaults on Specified Persons

Florida Senate - 2020 CS for SB 1416 By Senatorthe PerryCommittee 8-01289A-20 20201416__ A bill to be entitled An act relating to assaults on specifiedCriminal persons;Justice;

and Senator Perry 591-03092-20 20201416c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to assaults on specified persons;

authorizing public transit providers to deploy assault mitigation infrastructure;

providing a declaration of important state interest;

providing a specific reference to assault or battery on a public transit employee or agent;

1217 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

1419 Section 1. Section 341.0611, Florida Statutes, is created to read:

341.0611 Transit worker safety.— (1) By January 1, 2021, every public transit provider operating regularly scheduled transit service for the general public shall post in at least one conspicuous place at the entrance of each public transit vehicle a yellow sign with black, bold type font no smaller than 48 point containing the following statement:

AtEach arisk minimum,reduction eachprogram shall include conflict de-escalation training for transit operators. The risk reduction program shallmay include:include the deployment of assault mitigation infrastructure and technology on public transit, including barriers to restrict the unwanted entry of individuals and objects into transit operator’s workstations.

(a) TheSection deployment2. The ofLegislature assaultfinds mitigationthat infrastructurepublic andtransit technologyworkers onmay publicbe transit,subject including barriers to restrictassault thewhile unwantedperforming entrytheir ofjobs. individuals and objects into transit operator’s workstations.

(b) ConflictThe de-escalationLegislature trainingfurther finds and declares that this act fulfills an important state interest in protecting the safety of public transit workers by requiring any public transit providers operating regularly scheduled transit service to conspicuously post signage that provides notification of the criminal penalties for assault on a public transit operators.worker, and to also create and implement a risk reduction program that includes conflict-de-escalation training.

SectionThe 2. ParagraphLegislature (a)further offinds subsectionthat (2)these ofreasonable sectionmeasures 784.07,may Floridareduce Statutes,or isprevent amendedattacks toon read:public transit workers.

Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 784.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

316.640, a public transit employee or agent, a person licensed as a security officer as defined in s.

Section(b) In 3. Thisthe actcase shallof takebattery, effectfrom Octobera 1,misdemeanor 2020.of the first degree to a felony of the third degree.

(c) In the case of aggravated assault, from a felony of the third degree to a felony of the second degree.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person convicted of aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer shall be sentenced to a minimum term of imprisonment of 3 years.

(d) In the case of aggravated battery, from a felony of the second degree to a felony of the first degree.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person convicted of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer shall be sentenced to a minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years.

Section 4. This act shall take effect October 1, 2020.