Florida Senate president bypasses roadblocks to move forward on controversial anti-protest bill

Senate President Wilton Simpson said Thursday he will use a procedural maneuver to ensure that a controversial law-and-order proposal pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis starts moving in the Senate.

The House last week signed off on the measure (HB 1), which would, among other things, create a new crime of “mob intimidation” and stiffen penalties for injuring police officers during protests that become violent. Midway through the 2021 legislative session, a Senate version (SB 484) has not been considered by a committee. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee was slated to give the measure an initial vetting, but Chairman Jason Pizzo, D-North Miami Beach, did not schedule it for a hearing.

In an unusual move Thursday, Simpson said the House measure would be sent to the Republican-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee.

Simpson told reporters “our intention will be to refer that bill to committee and we’ll be looking to take that up here in the very near future.”

Read more: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/04/01/florida-senate-president-bypasses-roadblocks-to-move-forward-on-controversial-anti-protest-bill