Two Bills Creating Aggravating Factors for Capital Felonies Advance

Two bills that would create an additional aggravating factor for capital felonies, potentially expanding the application of the death penalty, advanced through Senate committees this week. 

SB 984, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), was passed (14-3) by the Fiscal Policy Committee on Thursday, April 17. The measure would add a new aggravating factor when the victim was gathered with one or more persons for school activities, religious activities, or public government meetings. The bill has been placed on the Senate Calendar, on 2nd reading.

Joe Harmon, FCCB's policy director, testified against the bill. "We agree that these terrible and tragic crimes are gravely evil," said Harmon. "We would urge that the death penalty is not a solution to the social crisis, in which individuals on the peripheries become wounded and degraded to the point of comitting these crimes." Harmon noted the alternative punishment of life imprisonment without parole can keep society safe, and that the death penalty is not proven to have a deterrent effect. 

House version HB 693, sponsored by Representative Mike Redondo (R-Miami), was passed by the full House on April 3 and sent to the Senate. 

SB 776, sponsored by Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill), was approved (6-3) by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice on Tuesday, April 15. The measure would add a new aggravating factor if the victim was a head of state, or bystander in an attempt to kill a head of state. The bill is now in its final committee of reference, Fiscal Policy.

Companion bill HB 653, sponsored by Representative Jeff Holcomb (R-Spring Hill), is on the House calendar on second reading.