CS/CS/HB 575 Summary

• Amends section 836.10, Florida Statutes to expand the crime of written threats to kill or do bodily injury by prohibiting threats made in a writing or electronic record that are posted or transmitted in a manner allowing another person to view them, eliminating the prior requirement that threats be sent to a specific recipient.

• Establishes written threats to kill or do bodily injury as a second-degree felony, punishable under sections 775.082, 775.083, or 775.084, expanding the scope beyond the previous narrow definition.

• Reenacts sections 794.056(1), 921.0022(3)(f), and 938.085, Florida Statutes to incorporate amendments to section 836.10 in references to the Rape Crisis Program Trust Fund, Criminal Punishment Code offense severity ranking chart, and rape crisis center funding surcharges.

• Imposes a $151 surcharge ($150 to Rape Crisis Program Trust Fund and $1 to court clerk) when a person is convicted of enumerated violent crimes, sexual assault crimes, and related offenses including the amended written threats statute.

• Effective date is October 1, 2017.