Staff Reports
A bill meant to crack down on posting sexually explicit photos of exes and former lovers by increasing the penalties was sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday.
Under SB 538, if approved, it would be a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and $1,000, the first time a person posts to a website an explicit image of another person without their consent. All subsequent offenses will rate a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.
The Senate initially sought a tougher version of the bill, which would have included email, but the House passed a more lenient version of the measure that only applies to posting pictures on websites. It does not include social media sites. The Senate was unable to compromise the differences between the chambers because the House abruptly quit.
The bill was sponsored by Sen. David Simmons.
The governor will have 15 days, or until May 22, to sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.
