Latest news with #TroopersLaw
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
New Florida laws make it illegal to restrain dogs outside during natural disasters, increase aggravated animal cruelty penalties
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed two bills focused on animal cruelty, including a measure that was a response to a dog found tied to a fence along Interstate 75 during last year's Hurricane Milton. "How someone treats an animal speaks volumes of their character," Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner said during a bill-signing ceremony at Big Dog Ranch in Loxahatchee. Named "Trooper's Law," one of the bills (SB 150) will create a third-degree felony offense of animal cruelty for people who restrain dogs outside during natural disasters. The bill is named after Trooper, a dog found by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper after being tied to a fence during the hurricane and later adopted. The other measure, called "Dexter's Law," will increase aggravated animal-cruelty penalties if people intentionally torture domesticated animals. The bill (HB 255) also directs the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by the start of next year to put a database on its website of people convicted of animal-cruelty offenses. "Dexter's Law" was proposed after a St. Petersburg man was accused of decapitating his newly adopted dog.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School cell phone bill goes to DeSantis
The Legislature on Friday formally sent bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis that would prevent elementary and middle school students from using cell phones during the entire school day and create a new third-degree felony offense of animal cruelty for people who restrain dogs outside during natural disasters. The cell-phone change, which was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105), would expand on a current law that prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time. It would prohibit cell-phone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. It also would create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools throughout the school day. The animal cruelty proposal (SB 150) was crafted after a dog was found last year tied to a fence along Interstate 75 during Hurricane Milton. The bill was named 'Trooper's Law,' after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper discovered the dog surrounded by water. The dog was adopted after being taken to the Tallahassee Humane Society. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
