TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills into law during a press conference in Tampa on Tuesday morning.
The governor signed HB 445, also known as “Missy’s Law,” and HB 1159, which DeSantis said are aimed at strengthening protections for children in Florida.
HB 445 adds any violation related to computer pornography or child exploitation to the list of dangerous crimes.
Watch press conference and bill signing
Full press conference: DeSantis signs ‘Missy’s Law’
The bill also requires courts to remand a person who is convicted of a dangerous crime to custody immediately pending sentencing without the possibility of being released on bond.
“Last year, we proposed Missy’s Law after the tragic murder of five-year-old Missy Mogle at the hands of a convicted, abusive pedophile who was allowed to remain out on bond by Judge Tiffany Baker,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier.
According to the bill summary, HB 1159 replaces the term “child pornography” with the term “child sexual abuse material,” increases penalties for crimes related to child sexual abuse material, establishes mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain offenses committed by adults and creates a life felony for the aggravated exploitation of a child under the age of 12.
The laws will go into effect on July 1.
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