Renner vows strong crackdown on crime

By Lydia Nusbaum

Published Apr. 13, 2023, 8:55 a.m. ET | Updated Apr. 13, 2023

House Speaker Paul Renner, Tallahassee, Fla. (Photo/Florida House of Representatives)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, reiterated efforts to crack down on criminals in the wake of legislators approving a permitless carry bill last month.

“We talked about our desire in the free state of Florida to expand the rights of law abiding men and women to carry a firearm,” Renner said. “But we also said that we would get after those that are stealing guns and committing crimes with those guns.”

The speaker continued to highlight legislation moving through the process, including bills to lower the death penalty threshold and increase penalties for repeated firearm thefts.

“That’s what this week is about is measures that we will put in place to get tougher on gun violence, on gun crime, and those who commit those crimes,” Renner said.

Here are the following bills Renner highlighted in a press release, along with bill sponsors, Wednesday:

HB 1465 by Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, and Rep. John Snyder, R-Palm City, increases penalties for repeated firearm thefts and adds 10-20-Life as a mandatory minimum penalty to the offense of human trafficking if a firearm was involved.
HB 1627 by Rep. Sam Garrison standardizes and expands pretrial detention offenses, prohibits a person from being released prior to first appearance for certain crimes, requires the court to order pretrial defense for certain offenses where such release may subject the community to physical harm, risk the absence of the defendant at trial or jeopardize the integrity of the judicial process.
HB 555 by Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Clearwater, requires a jury to recommend a sentence of death to the court if at least eight jurors determine a defendant should be sentenced to death rather than requiring unanimity.
HB 1297 by Rep. Jessica Baker, R-Jacksonville, authorizes a judge to impose a sentence of death for the offense of sexual battery against a victim under the age of 12 if at least eight jurors recommend a death sentence.
HB 537 by Rep. David Silvers, D-West Palm Beach, excludes certain offenders of heinous crimes from being eligible to have their term of probation reduced or to receive basic and incentive gain time.